Jakarta. Rescue teams are continuing operations to save seven workers trapped since Sept. 8 in Freeport Indonesia’s (PTFI) Grasberg Block Cave (GBC) underground mine, with excavating mud remaining the biggest challenge.

Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Bahlil Lahadalia said efforts to clear the mud are ongoing.

“There are definitely challenges, because we are digging through mud underground. That is a significant difficulty. We continue to pray that the seven workers can be found,” Bahlil said on Wednesday.

He added that two ministry directors remain on site to monitor and report on the progress of the search.

“My team, the director of mining and the director of the mining inspectorate, are still at the Freeport location. Up until today, reports indicate that our brothers trapped underground have not yet been found,” he said, emphasizing ongoing communication with Freeport management to accelerate rescue efforts.

“All resources, both manpower and equipment, are now focused on excavating the mud that has entered the underground area,” Bahlil added.

Freeport Indonesia President Director Tony Wenas earlier said the company is mobilizing all available resources to rescue the seven workers. He said the primary challenge is the massive volume of wet ore mud that inundated the underground GBC area.

The mudslide occurred at Extraction Panels 28-30 of the Grasberg Block Cave underground mine in Tembagapura, Mimika Regency, on the night of Monday, Sept. 8, around 10:00 p.m. local time.