September 17, 2025 | 03:42 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Indonesian Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM), Bahlil Lahadalia, stated that PT Freeport Indonesia (PTFI) has temporarily halted its production activities. The company took this step following a cave-in of wet materials at the underground Grasberg Block Cave (GBC) mine in Mimika, Central Papua.
Bahlil said that the primary focus right now is on finding the seven missing workers who have not been seen since Monday, September 8, 2025. "All Freeport production activities have been halted. All efforts are focused on finding the victims," Bahlil told reporters at the Ministry of Energy, Jakarta, on Wednesday, September 17, 2025.
He added that teams from the Ministry of Energy, mining inspectors, and Freeport management are continuously present at the site to oversee the rescue process. "All resources are being deployed to find the victims," Bahlil said.
Vice President Corporate Communications of PTFI, Katri Krisnati, stated that the rescue team is continuously attempting to open access to the workers' location using heavy equipment, drills, and drones. However, these efforts are facing significant challenges due to the large volume of wet materials that have accumulated. This volume is much larger than that of the previous incident, and the materials are still in motion. "The rescue process is very complex, full of risks, and requires a longer period of time," she said, as cited in a written statement on Wednesday, September 17, 2025.
The leaders of Freeport-McMoRan, Chairman Richard Adkerson, and CEO Kathleen Quirk, along with PTFI President Director Tony Wenas, have directly inspected the evacuation efforts, met with the victims' families, and participated in joint prayers with the community in Tembagapura.
Additionally, Katri mentioned that the Head of Mining Inspection at the Ministry of ESDM, along with the Mimika BPBD and Basarnas, also inspected the evacuation locations. According to Katri, the workers' families have been in Tembagapura to receive direct information, support, and assistance from the company. "We are aware that this process is full of challenges, but we will not give up. Every effort is being made to save our colleagues," she said.
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