Freeport has recovered the bodies of the five remaining workers who had been missing since 8 September, concluding a search and rescue operation that lasted nearly a month at the Grasberg block cave mine in Indonesia.  

All seven missing workers have now been confirmed dead. 

On 8 September, roughly 800,000 tonnes of waterlogged material surged into the Grasberg copper and gold mine in Tembagapura, Mimika Regency, Central Papua, trapping seven workers inside. 

The wet material surged into the mine from the former Grasberg open pit, affecting multiple mine levels, including the service level where the seven workers were undertaking development activities.  

Following this incident, Freeport McMoRan announced the temporary suspension of operations at its Grasberg mine to prioritise search operations. 

Last month, the company also warned of a reduction in copper and gold sales due to the disruption at the mine.  

The Grasberg mine accounts for half of Freeport’s proven and probable reserves and 70% of its projected copper and gold output through 2029.  

The company stated last month that it does not expect pre-incident production levels to resume until 2027 and anticipates a phased restart of unaffected sections by late 2025.  

The Grasberg block cave is expected to begin a gradual ramp-up in early 2026, with full recovery targeted for 2027.  

Meanwhile, PT Freeport Indonesia (PTFI) is investigating the cause of the incident. 

The investigation team, which includes external experts, is tasked with conducting a root cause analysis and offering recommendations to prevent future incidents. 

PTFI expects the investigation to conclude by the end of 2025. 

The company is collaborating closely with the Indonesian authorities to assess the incident and evaluate future operational strategies.