What caused the delay in Indonesia's copper shipments?

The delay in Indonesia's copper shipments was caused by an outage at the Gresik smelter, which processes ore from the Grasberg mine, due to a boiler leak that occurred over the weekend. The smelter was halted for assessment and repair, with operations suspended since August 8, according to Mitsubishi Materials Corp., the co-owner of PT Smelting, the facility's operator.

Who owns and operates the Gresik smelter, and what is its role in Indonesia's copper supply chain?

The Gresik smelter is operated by PT Smelting, a joint venture between Mitsubishi Materials Corp. and PT Freeport Indonesia (PTFI), which itself is jointly owned by Freeport-McMoRan Inc. and the Indonesian government. It plays a critical role in Indonesia's copper supply chain by processing copper ore from the Grasberg mine—the world’s second-largest copper mine—before export, making its outage a significant disruption to downstream shipments.

Indonesia Copper Shipments Delayed by Gresik Smelter Outage

Aug 10, 2026

Indonesia's Gresik smelter suspended operations due to a boiler leak, delaying copper shipments from the Grasberg mine for weeks. The disruption exacerbates an existing supply squeeze, pushing benchmark prices above $14,000 per ton.

bloomberg

2026-08-10

Indonesia Copper Shipments Delayed by Gresik Smelter Outage

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