Freeport Indonesia's Grasberg Is Up And Running

(REUTERS) -- Work at the Grasberg mine in eastern Indonesia run by Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold Inc resumed as expected on Monday for the first time since a suspension on Feb 23, according to the company and the union.

PT Freeport Indonesia has resumed production activities, Monday, March 12, 2012. Management and the union leaders have been coordinating to mobilise the employees back to work, said a statement from the company emailed to Reuters.

Grasberg in the highlands of Papua is the largest gold mine in the world and the second-largest copper mine. Operations were suspended by Freeport on Feb. 23 because of work disruptions following a three-month strike late last year.

Attempts to return the mine to normal have been hampered by protracted disputes between management and unionised workers, as well as by security concerns.

We need to build solid teamwork with good, fair and equal partnership so that its a victory for the company as well as the workers, union leader Sudiro told Reuters, confirming that work has resumed.

Intimidation and violence by some workers against others who did not take part in the strike disrupted operations at the mine, located in the highlands of central Papua province, the company said in an earlier statement about the disruptions that led to the stoppage in February.