In 1997 P.T. Freeport Indonesia invited Mike Harding to visit their Grasberg Mine in the mountains of Irian Jaya, Indonesia. Often referred to as the "Mine in the Clouds" the Freeport operation is situated at an altitude greater than 4,000 meters above sea level and is the richest and most remote deposit of copper and gold in the world. P.T. Freeport's Vice President of Environmental Affairs Bruce Marsh asked Mike to meet with the company's field staff to get an overview of the operation and to offer suggestions for any improvements or alternatives to the current reclamation practices.
Like most workers at the mine, Mike and John Wallace (Spraygrass Ltd., Nerang, Australia) stayed at the company barracks in the town of Tembagapura (4,000 m) on the southern slopes of the Puncak Jaya, just below the Carstensz Glacier. There they met with Howard Lewis, Environmental Manager and Darrell Martindale, Superintendent of Reclamation.
Over the course of three days, Mike and John trained native Freeport crews in the proper application of hydraulic methods. With Darrell Martindale and his reclamation crew, they also designed and established experimental re-vegetation plots along haul roads above the aerial tramway. These plots, at the altitude of the Grasberg Mine operations, utilized indigenous plant seed as well as live plant material from the surrounding forest.
As part of its comprehensive reclamation program, Freeport has successfully established numerous species of plants. This reclamation extends from the high altitude mining operations, down the primary mine access road, to the tailings retention areas near Timika.
A fascinating reference for P.T. Freeport's operations in Irian Jaya is the book Grasberg by George A. Mealey. Published in 1996 by Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold, Inc. 1615 Poydras Street New Orleans, LA 70112. ISBN: 0-9652890-0-1.
