Freeport Indonesia may be forced to suspend operations at its Manyar smelter at the end of October due to a lack of copper concentrate following a mud-flow incident at its Grasberg mine, media outlet Kontan reported on Tuesday, citing an energy ministry official.
Freeport Indonesia did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Tri Winarno, an official at the country’s mining ministry, estimated that copper concentrate supplies from Grasberg would only be sufficient until the end of this month, Kontan reported.
“(Freeport) will face a lack of supply by the end of October. Temporarily halted,” Tri told reporters.
The mud-flow disaster had killed seven workers and operations at the Grasberg mine have been halted for nearly a month.
Grasberg may not return to its pre-accident operating rates until at least 2027, the company had said.
The $3.7 billion Manyar smelter only resumed operations in May after a fire broke out in October last year, damaging the plant.
(By Bernadette Christina and Ananda Teresia; Editing by John Mair and David Stanway)
