27 Feb 2006

Freeport mine in Papua re-opens after clash

12:34 pm on 27 February 2006

Activities at the Freeport gold mine in the Indonesian province of Papua are reported to have resumed.

Freeport officials says protesters left the site on Saturday evening.

Operations were suspended last Wednesday after illegal miners armed with bows and arrows clashed with security officers, soldiers and police the day before.

A spokesman said that only one individual - a security officer for Freeport Indonesia - had been hurt.

The Grasberg mine is believed to have the world's third-largest copper reserves and one of the biggest gold deposits.