The cause of the accident is stil unclear."Jakarta (ANTARA News) - The government has set up an independent team to probe the collapse of an underground training tunnel at Freeport Indonesia`s Big Gossan mine in Indonesia`s easternmost province of Papua.
The team, led by mining technique professor of the Bandung Institute of Technology, is made up of experts in the relevant field, Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Jero Wacik said here on Wednesday.
"The independent team will check everything technically," he said after receiving a full report on the accident from Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold Inc CEO Richard C Adkerson and Freeport Indonesia President Director Rozik B Soetjipto.
Freeport McMoran is the parent company of Freeport Indonesia.
Jero said the team will look into the collapse of the tunnel and recommend efforts to prevent a recurrence of similar accident.
"The cause of the accident is still unclear," he said.
If based on the team`s findings the accident is caused by Freeport`s negligence the government will impose stern sanctions on it, he said.
The team will also technically check the safety procedure of underground mining activities outside Freeport Indonesia`s Big Gossan mine, he said.
Richard Adkerson meanwhile said Freeport will fully be responsible for the accident. "We are open to investigation."
He said Freeport will provide the best compensation to the relatives of victims.
Freeport will also look into the cause of the accident, he said.
Rozik said Freeport has suspended all its production activities following the accident.
"We have yet to think of when we will resume the activities. We are focusing on the handling of the accident now," he said.
According to him, Freeport produces 220,000 tons of ore per day consisting of 140,000 tons from open mine and 80,000 tons from underground mine.
The Big Gossan tunnel collapsed last Tuesday (May 14) at 07.30 a.m. local time when 38 workers were undergoing safety training. Twenty-eight people were killed in the accident while 10 others survived.
(Reporting by Kelik Dewanto/S012/O001)
Editor: Priyambodo RH
Copyright © ANTARA 2013
