18 Sep 2008

Freeport operations in Papua comtinue as normal despite bomb blasts

2:13 pm on 18 September 2008

Operations at the massive Freeport gold and copper mine in Indonesia's Papua region are continuing as normal despite a series of attacks around mine facilities and infrastructure.

Three small bomb explosions have occurred in the past week at different locations around Freeport's Grasberg site.

Two were at the highway leading to Freeport's mining concession on

Thursday and Friday, before another detonation near Timika International Airport on Sunday.

A spokesman for Freeport Indonesia, Minto Pangaribuan, says the blasts have had little impact.

"There was no damage on the equipment or infrastructure, nor were there victims injured because of the incidents, because of the detonation blasts. This is being investigated by the police and we are co-operating with the police in their investigation."

Minto Pangaribuan says that the company isn't planning on boosting current security measures around Freeport's local operations in response to the explosions.

Responsibility for security around the mine is officially assigned to the police, although Indonesia's military is believed to be also involved.