Freeport-McMoRan (NYSE:FCX) is preparing to bring one of the world’s most important copper assets back online, laying out plans for a phased restart of the Grasberg mine in Indonesia following a deadly mud rush that halted operations late last year.
The Arizona-based miner said remediation and preparation work at the Grasberg minerals district remains on schedule after the September 8, 2025 incident, when an estimated 800,000 metric tons of wet material entered the block cave and killed seven workers.
According to the company, its Indonesian subsidiary, PT Freeport Indonesia (PTFI), expects to begin restarting Production Blocks 2 and 3 of the Grasberg Block Cave in the second quarter of 2026, with a gradual ramp-up thereafter. A potential restart of Production Block 1 is targeted for 2027.
Based on current estimates, PTFI expects roughly 85 percent of total production at normal operating rates to be restored in the second half of 2026.
Work required to resume mining, including mud removal from underground workings, repairs to key infrastructure and the installation of protective barriers, is progressing as planned, Freeport said. Investigations into the cause of the incident and remedial measures were completed during the fourth quarter of 2025.
Operations at other parts of the Grasberg complex have already resumed. In late October 2025, PTFI restarted production at the Deep Mill Level Zone (DMLZ) and Big Gossan underground mines, which were not affected by the mud rush.
Those restarts provided some relief to output but did not offset the loss of production from the Grasberg Block Cave, the district’s primary ore source.
“As we enter 2026, our team has a clear focus on restoring operations at Grasberg safely and sustainably, and on continuing to build values in the Americas through our innovative growth and efficiency initiatives,” Freeport president and chief executive officer Kathleen Quirk said in the company’s recent quarterly statement.
While the Grasberg restart remains the central operational focus, Freeport’s latest quarterly results showed the company’s financial resilience during the disruption.
In the fourth quarter of 2025, Freeport reported net income attributable to common stock of US$406 million, or US$0.28 per share. Adjusted net income totaled US$688 million, or US$0.47 per share, beating quarterly profit estimates.
Going into 2026, Freeport expects consolidated sales of about 3.4 billion pounds of copper, 0.8 million ounces of gold and 90 million pounds of molybdenum, with those projections assuming a phased restart of the Grasberg Block Cave beginning in the second quarter.
Securities Disclosure: I, Giann Liguid, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.
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