Freeport Indonesia smelter to resume production as concentrate supply from Papua restarts

The copper cathode smelter operated by PT Freeport Indonesia in the Java Integrated Industrial and Port Estate (JIIPE) in Manyar, Gresik, East Java, is set to resume operations. President Director Tony Wenas confirmed that the facility is once again receiving copper concentrate supplies from the company's mines in Papua.

"For now, concentrate has started arriving from Papua, it has started arriving at (the smelter in) Manyar," Wenas stated during an event in Jakarta on Friday. He indicated that the smelter will commence production once the volume of concentrate is sufficient for processing. The target for restarting production is September.

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For now, concentrate has started arriving from Papua, it has started arriving at (the smelter in) Manyar.

Operations at the Manyar smelter were halted due to insufficient concentrate supply following a landslide incident in the underground Grasberg Block Cave (GBC) mine on September 8, 2025. Wenas previously projected that the smelter would process 15 percent of the GBC mine's copper concentrate in phases throughout 2026.

Production capacity at the GBC mine is gradually recovering. In the first half of 2026, capacity stood at approximately 50 percent of normal levels post-landslide. This is expected to increase to 65 percent in the second half of 2026. By the first half of 2027, production is targeted to reach 75 percent, with full 100 percent capacity anticipated in the second half of 2027.

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So maybe just let the volume be enough first, then we will burn it in the furnace.