PHOENIX (dpa-AFX) - Freeport-McMoRan Inc. (FCX) provided an update regarding the September 8 mud rush incident at the Grasberg Block Cave mine operated by PT Freeport Indonesia (PTFI). The company confirmed that the remaining five missing team members have been located and were found deceased on October 5. This brings the total number of lives lost in the incident to seven, including two team members previously found on September 20.
The incident involved a sudden rush of approximately 800,000 metric tons of wet material from the former Grasberg open pit, which rapidly traveled to multiple mine levels, including the service level where the team members were conducting development activities. As a result, mining operations in the Grasberg minerals district have been temporarily suspended since September 8 to prioritize the search and recovery efforts.
PT Freeport Indonesia has launched a comprehensive investigation into the cause of the incident, which is unprecedented in its decades-long history of block cave mining. The investigation team includes external experts and will focus on root cause analysis and recommendations to prevent future occurrences. The company anticipates completing the investigation by the end of 2025.
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