JAKARTA, July 26 (Reuters) - Indonesia has reached an agreement with U.S. miner Freeport McMoRan Inc FCX.N that any new operating permit for its Grasberg copper mine will only be valid until 2021, an energy and mining ministry official said on Wednesday.
Freeport would be able to apply for two 10-year extensions to this, but the new permit will only be valid once signed and both sides are still negotiating, Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry Secretary-General Teguh Pamuji told reporters.
Freeport and Indonesia have been locked in a long-runing, costly permit over the future of the giant Grasberg mine.