Freeport’s Grasberg Copper Mine Reaches 67% Milling Capacity in Recovery

SEATTLE (Scrap Monster): Freeport-McMoRan’s Grasberg copper-gold operation in Indonesia continued its recovery in the third quarter, with milling rates reaching about 67% of normal capacity. A fatal mud-flow disaster in September last year had killed seven workers and shut the operation.

The Central Papua complex processed approximately 140,000 tonnes of ore per day during the quarter, slightly exceeding market expectations. Freeport expects the operation to reach around 80% of capacity by mid-2027. Also, full production is expected to be achieved by the end of 2027.

According to the company, rehabilitation work is advancing, with upgrades to the underground material-handling system scheduled for completion in early 2027. Freeport also plans to restart Production Block 1S around mid-2027, which will support the next phase of the production ramp-up.

Grasberg produced approximately 830 million pounds of copper and 230,000 ounces of gold in the third quarter. The company expects its copper sales to touch nearly 750 million pounds, while gold sales are expected to reach around 100,000 ounces.

Freeport also reported progress at its East Java smelter, which restarted in August. The company expects higher copper prices to help offset some of the financial impact during the recovery period.