An accident at the Grasberg open-pit copper-gold mine in Irian Jaya, Indonesia, has left four people missing.
Louisiana-based Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold, through its operating unit, P.T. Freeport Indonesia, reports that heavy rains caused an overburden pile to slip, sending a wall of water and rock over a basin spillway into the Wanagon Valley.
Four employees of a contracting company are missing, and an intensive search is under way. No other injuries were reported.
The incident occurred May 4 just west of the main Grasberg pit.
As the pile of material, consisting of waste rock and lime to treat acid-rock drainage, slid down the river valley, alarm systems installed by the company alerted locals from the village of Banti, 12 km downstream, to steer clear of the river area.
Freeport says it is working to minimize and mitigate any damage caused and to prevent a recurrence. Also, tests are under way to determine if seismic activity contributed to the accident.
The company has been mining the Grasberg deposit since 1988. On an annual basis, the mine produces 1.4 billion lbs. copper and 2.4 million oz. gold.
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