IT does not augur well for the gold and mining operations of PT Freeport Indonesia in Indonesia’s easternmost province of Papua, as half of its mineworkers continue its debilitating strike. Although Freeport insists their shipments have not been affected, the big question is just how long this safety net can last.

Jeremias Demetow, an officer of a labor union striking on the grounds of PT Freeport Indonesia (PTFI), said on Friday evening th