Summary of Gold Mining Problems in Indonesia Throughout 2025

INTERNATIONAL, RBTVDISWAY.ID - Several gold mines in Indonesia experienced various problems this year, with some even having to suspend operations due to the conditions.

These problems arose as Indonesia faced a domestic gold supply deficit, forcing gold bullion producers such as PT Aneka Tambang Tbk. (ANTM) and Antam to import gold.

This situation was exacerbated by the forecasted depletion of reserves at several gold mines in the near future.

The government also prepared various regulations to safeguard domestic gold stocks.

These included tightening gold exports by imposing export duties (BK), limiting exports of gold with a specific 99.9% gold content, and discussing the implementation of a mandatory domestic supply scheme or domestic market obligation (DMO).

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The following is a list of gold mines in Indonesia that experienced problems throughout the year:

1. Grasberg Block Cave (GBC)

PT Freeport Indonesia's (PTFI) Grasberg Block Cave underground mine experienced a landslide of wet material, temporarily halting operations throughout the entire Freeport mine.

The incident trapped seven workers in the mine, who were eventually found dead by rescue teams.

The company revealed that during the incident, approximately 800,000 tons of wet material flowed into the GBC from the former Grasberg open-pit mine.

In addition to the entire mine being shut down, Freeport's smelter in the Java Integrated Industrial and Port Estate (JIIPE) industrial area in Manyar, Gresik, East Java, was also shut down due to inadequate concentrate supply.

Freeport estimates that the GBC underground gold and copper mine will only be fully operational by 2027.

Meanwhile, the copper smelter in Gresik is targeted to resume operations in the second quarter of 2026.

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