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Just an update, the open pit mine had depleted and closed out in 2021. But the company has constructed and is now operating the largest underground mine complex to extract gold and copper beneath the open pit mine, an operation that could going on for 40 years to the future. If the documentary says that the open pit costed 3 billion, the underground mine costs 1 billion a year to construct. The construction has been going on for the past 6 years and is still going on today.
The topic itself is extremely fascinating as well as this mine in particular, but I just want to point out how much better and "cleaner" these older documentaries are without constant bland rock music and overly excited narrator, plus unnecessary drama. I really enjoy them and would chose them any time
My dad Young-Bok Kim, spent over 25 years(early 1970 to late 1990) at this site as a Mill Supervisor. I visited him many times and we loved it. Too bad, I did not have a chance to work with him at Freeport. My Dad passed away on September 28th of 2019. Behalf of my family we thank everyone who worked with him. He Loved, Indonesia, the People, Work, and Freeport. God Bless Everyone ........
I'am so sad to hear that your dad passed away. Let me corrected that your dad last position was as a Milright and Mechanical Superintendent. We worked together while I was looking after as Processing Superintendent.
@@orlandogardner5288 Thank U very much. He had very full life. But we hoped he would smell the roses more often and catch up with family time we have missed. Indonesia and people are GREAT. Everyone should visit once in a life time. CHEERS and GOD BLESS....
It's like an age of knowledge abundance, I sometimes think it's too good to be true, what's coming next to put a new brake to it? Just don't know why I fear that
@@khiljinagor8976 Let me tell you, there is a state in the world which has actively sought a proverbial 'kill-switch' to , if and when needed, can silence the whole internet in one fell swoop. This state I'm talking about has channelled great resources towards this goal. Who knows how far their plans have advanced.
I needed to hold my cringe and disgust to finish this docu. Its an important one to really understand how the west looks at us, indigenous people, and our land.
I think that dozer operator knows a lot about physics. He engineered that road on the fly. He may not have graduated from MIT but I would not discount his knowledge.. The fact that he did it on an old school dozer is all the more impressive. I tip my hat to you sir good job.
As a Physics teacher in high schools for 20 years, here in Australia, let me reply. We commend and acknowledge the skills this man had in driving a dozer in such conditions, undoubtedly with great skills and much understanding of gravity, mass, momentum , velocity, inertia, etc. However, it is an extension to say he knows a lot about Physics, when the subject involves the study of matter and its interaction with forces. I would hardly expect him to explain even the most basic of Physics ideas unless he studied it and taught it. So I do disagree with you that he would know much about Physics. He obviously is well versed in the use of machinery, landform, how to move matter, etc. I could not imagine he could explain magnetic or electric theory, nor the theory of matter.
I meant he has an outstanding knowledge in reference to the scope of his job this job. Is he a physicist obviously not. However There is a lot of physics Involved in this sort of operation.Maybe you should climb in a D10 dozer and point it straight up-and-up the mountain. This is real world physics not Is theoretical.
@@jahbay no. It's like saying that Badminton / Basketball / Football players are masters at Parabolic Motion calculation. They are not. They have however, honed their muscle movement to the desired specification that allows them to have precise control over their movement and the movement of the balls they're playing with, but they wouldn't be able to explain the details to any layman, unless they also educate themselves on the theoretical and number crunching side of physics. Their muscle and nerves do not recognize the concept of "numbers" whenever they perform high level athletic feat. They just DO it. What you call "real life physics" aren't actually "physics" They are just how the world works. Physics is the STUDY in which one explores the fundamentals of these real life phenomenon and try to make sense of them through numbers.
I worked there for 5 years. Awesome place and great people to work with. The pit & underground mines and processing facilities engineering marvels. Papuan and Indonesian people and cultures truly wonderful. A great memory in my life. Would love to go back one day.
My guess is that you either stole some gold,or tried to and told someone you thought you could trust TRUST NO ONE except CHRIST.I am not judging you,but the temptation would be to great for me even,because I wuv GOLD!!!
@@markpaul8178 why would you make this comment to him. Its my guess that you haven't done jack with your life, and that you never will because you lack intestinal fortitude aka BA11s. Just my 'guess'
This probably should have been a 2-hour documentary. What I saw was good, but I would like them to have spent another hour showing more footage of the mechanics of the mining operation.
@@TheGeraford13 Very true. That's why reality shows became so popular. Dirt cheap to produce and make a lot of money. Documentaries=expensive to produce and don't make a lot of money (with the odd exception like say, March of the Penguins).
@@MrBilld75 Based on what statistics? From what I've read, documentaries get plenty of viewers. At least enough to beat out 90% of the crap "fakeality" series that nobody watches. For every "Pawn Stars" raking in the dough there's 10 "Alaskan Hillbillies" or "Big Timber" which nobody really care about. So it's not like making reality TV is somehow easy as pie. The only answer, then, is that the network TV bosses would rather foist reality TV because it's simpler to make (not easier or cheaper) instead of coming up with unique ideas every week for a serial documentary. Paid TV subscriptions peaked in 2011 and have consistently tanked every year since. Is it any wonder? They're just lazy. And look, now we're watching the documentaries they can't be bothered to show, here, instead.
@@Mavendow Yeah, I agree and I meant cheaper than paying real actors, more than anything. Not necessarily cheap or easy to produce. I'm sure it takes as much effort to film some reality series as it does some documentaries. I was speaking more from special effects/post production and salary perspective.
As an American truck driver trainers preferred novices and not experienced drivers with bad habits. Better sometimes to have someone who has not been trained limits to what they can do. The company got off cheap with no health and safety requirements and low local wages.
@@randystone4903, My dad, has been driving for nearly 30 years, including driving in the US Army. With that said, he told me that "driver mills" are things. In other words, the industry in the US is being flooded with low-quality drivers.
I worked there in the late 90's . We built an expansion to the processing plant. Politics and business aside, it is an incredible engineering feat. Amazing experience for me working above the clouds.
@@michaelbryant9957 I worked for Bechtel who built the original plant but also did a big expansion in the late 90s. I was there in the late 90s. Unless you are Indonesian, it is unlikely you will get a role in operations unless you have some specialist skills they need. It is not an easy life there (well wasn't when I was there) - you live in shared accommodation (unless management) ~10,000' above sea level and work at 12000' to 14k' - always out of breath etc
Hard dangerous work. Much respect. I was a minor for nearly 18 years. It had its ups and downs. I didn't have to pay rent, food was free, I had a free car for the last 3 years but I had to abide by my parents rules so long as I lived in their house.
Being an Aussie I thought the "Super pit" at Kalgoorlie was huge and super impressive, well after seeing this, these 2 mines and what it took to establish them both just took a huge dump over Kalgoorlie's mines head and then rubbed it's nose in what had spilled on the floor. Big thumbs up to Ilyas Hamid for having more of an Aussie attitude then the so called experts from Australia who said it would be a multi million dollar project and then "Cool Hand Ilyas" steps up and says "Yeah nah, fuck that. Give me a dozer a couple of mechanics, fuel and some chickens to eat and I'll have her done for a couple of million." If he was born here in Oz he would have probably tacked on a few slabs of beer for him and the boys each week just to keep performance and moral up?
@@proinseasokiellig4388 I believe it...whoever has the most money and resources to put into raping the land gets to benefit from the crime and all it's suffering..these people seemed to be laughing all the way to the bank...smfh
@@proinseasokiellig4388 The Americans were sought out and hired to mine the land. The people who hired them are the ones responsible for the brutality against West Papuans, not the Americans. Your ire should probably be directed against the West Papuan government, who were willing to allow atrocities to occur so that they could tax the mine for its own profit.
Its truly a wonder you can sleep at night, given the vast number of Papuans who have been killed, maimed and dispossessed all because of that accursed mine!! .
The guy who created heat road is a good example of a guy moving through his work life time from the bottom to the top. You should always promote internally before you look to the outside. He became an expert at mountain road building from all that past work he did. In a way you could say this is the guy that made it out of a death match out of hundreds of other guys. He's the best of them.
Indonesia invaded West Papua lay drop bombs from helicopters on small villages thatched huts to keep the locals quite and murder them daily, the Americans don't care and want do a thing about the occupation because their making a load of money along with Australia. The Americans and Australians along with the rest of the west are hypocrites if this was a country was any were else they would be screaming blue bloody murder.
“Gold you say? We’ll spend billions and move mountains to get it!” “That village needs a fresh water supply line you say? Sorry, we don’t have the resources....”
You guys are so childish. It's just capitalism. That's how the world works, grow up already. "Someone should help those people! Just, not me.. but someone should!" Gold, you say? We'll invest money and take huge risks in the hope of turning a profit. If we're wrong, we'll lose tons of money. If we're right, well make tons of money. It's a gamble. That village needs fresh water? We'll lose money, won't make any profit from that. So we won't spend money on something that won't turn a profit. We're not running a charity here, sorry. What can't you understand about this? If you're so outraged by it, then why don't you take all of your money and spend it on running fresh water supplies to people who need it? Or... Is that not something you'd do? I know I sound like an asshole here, but that's the reality of it. The world is an asshole, I'm just the douchebag messenger. Seriously, grow up.
I'm not into mining or geology in particular but, man, this was an amazing documentary. To me, this was about man's extraordinary feat of problem-solving, dedication & perseverance against seemingly insurmountable odds.
The whole thing is quite unbelievable from the topic to the logistics to the people who made it happen to the people who filmed it happening. Glad I watched it. Incredible work!!
@@robertthomas4234 a definite maybe, while also noting that Omniscient Observers breed religiously in more families than just the military embezzlement complex
An absolute marvel indeed, wondering if its like how John marveled in the book of Revelations (politicians worshiping the Nephilim as gods). Angel beside John asked what do you marvel at? Gods angels rejoice over creation Fallen angels destroy his creation (humanity) and mother('s) nature includes land. Agreed brilliant work, cheers and God Bless.
I worked on that mine, I was working for Western Star Trucks Australian and used to travel there from our base in Brisbane Australia, about the year 2000
My parents work here since 2004 and I was raised in Tembagapura. This place is one of a kind. Regardless of the politics that surround this place, especially in recent years, I don't think I would ever relive my childhood anywhere but this place. I just hope the Indonesian government don't mess up it now that they have a majority stake in Freeport Indonesia
Could you imagine how frightened the natives must've been when they saw heliocopters and men dangling cutting down trees and gutting their forests? Damn. That had to be scary for people who knew little about the world outside of their jungles.
Brings back memories. This is one of the old documentary films of the Freeport McMorran Mine in Irian Jaya. I worked up there in the 90's. It is a Copper Mine, Gold is just a byproduct of the process.
@Bubba Nelson they mainly get copper out of the mine, but there is some Gold and silver in the ore as well. Thats what he means, this is an amazing documentary, seen it on sky TV about 20 years ago.
Totally agree. On the one hand I tend to think that, being a multi-national corporation, I'm sure they paid him as little as possible; dozens of times less than he's worth and many thousands of times less than they could afford. But then I catch myself getting tangled up in that nihilistic pessimism, and think how that guy seemed incredibly proud of his work and accomplishments. I'd bet he's wealthier than he'd imagined possible in his youth, and extremely grateful for the opportunities and fortune that life has brought him. I have no doubt that he's earned more than whoever ultimately decided his salary, because he has more than they'll likely ever have: enough. P.S: I really do believe that, and it makes me feel better about the state of the world and our places in it. But that cheesy namsy-pamsy BS doesn't pay the bills, so they seriously better have paid him enough to send his kids away to a good college, buy a sweet house and retire comfortably. Because if they nickle-and-dimed him, like so many greedy fat corporate pigs would have, that just might be the last straw ✊
Unfortunately, they will not give him millions or hundreds thousands. Greed comes first. Bet you all the workers are grossly underpaid albeit they make billions of dollars.
Right you are he should be a multi millionaire - however Corporate bodies everywhere are run by accountants, most of who have no imagination and absolutely no compassion for the little guy. So yea they make good money but nothing like they deserve.
They put him in the documentary, probably gave him a bonus and a good hearty slap on the back and "job well done!!" Otherwise... he probably didn't get much for his death defying efforts...
I have had the pleasure of working here during the time that the HEAT Road was built. I worked from Ridge Camp and was involved with the Maintenance / Warehousing, when the first D11 Caterpillar dozers and the first Cat 785 Dump trucks were brought in. At that time also, the P&H Shovels arrived and section by section, transported up the hill. Not shown here, are the 2 tunnels on the access road and that caused transportation headaches for the transport of the shovel swing gear. At that time, Freeport began privatising their infrastructure and utilities. Timika, the port town was expanded and the lowlands area expansion began, It was a really interesting mine community in which to operate and I am proud to have spent time there.
I am looking at this and all I could think of is the destruction of the rainforest, the destruction of the mountain, the contamination of the river systems, displacement of the first nations, the loss of wildlife/habitat and that is just building the damned place. I shudder to think of what the damage is over all these years.
Unless there going to take this gold turn it in to dust use it for a reflecting agent in our atmosphere to reflect the heat from the sun it's just man's greed and total disregard for the planet and man made heating that's going to put everything into Extinction
This mine, big as it is, is minuscule in comparison to the surrounding environment. Once the mine is finished, won't take nature very long to reclaim it and forget that it ever existed.
Right? Thanks to that damage you get to write your words over the internet. You get your home, your car, your groceries, your roads. Metals are the basis of humanity. Can we mine in an environmentally friendly way? Yes. Can we do agriculture without modifying the DNA of plants? Yes. And at last you are a man too. So the question for you is: how have you helped the human race?
Amazing documentary! No need for 4K when the content is as good as this!... we need more of this to lift our human spirit and believe we can do really amazing things. Thank you!
@@imaginewhirledpeas6696 not true % of those profits goes to the people. you could say their system is corrupted and dosen't get distruibuted correctly but thats a whole other discussion.
I am a Dutchman and I have lived my entire life in Switzerland so I am intimately familiar with the mountains and well my country. This is an incredible piece of engineering, science and well exploiting the local area. I don't think that any mountainscape in the old world would ever be destroyed like this. Then again locals wouldn't ever explore this far since it's really dangerous. I also work for an electronics assembly company and without this mine, my fingers wouldn't be scratched up like they are by copper wires...
@@bittasweetsymphony726 blame? Why is there anybody to blame? To blame for what exactly? That the modern world we live is directly attributed to mines like these? You enjoy the smartphone or computer that you are on making comments on about blame. Makes no sense. How people who are against this are considered “progressive”. There’s absolutely no progression at all. Smh. Thank God for courageous men like the ones depicted in this documentary.
3 billion and 20 years to build. That new East Bay Bridge in SF Bay has cost 10 billion so far and took 24 years to build. Somebody or a lot of sombodys in California got rich on that one.
They got rich off of it before and will again. I wonder if they just moved the pipe system that turned cold water i to those exciting hot pools. Maybe putting out in tracy ca for the new giant water amusement park and entertainment center. With besches and yaught parking and births and virtual reality rides and fast cars and casino and pro teams and heck prob summer Olympics. My guess. Thats all. Spirit of california...check out home page people. Yup and rich get Richer.... I left east coast to get away from it and shit seems to follow me. Errrrrr
yea like 80% of the money went to some bank accounts the rest into construction.. its a ridiculous price. the rich get richer just from making up random numbers and getting away with it
Dang! Breathtaking doco. Came across it by accident, began ... and was riveted every second right unto the end. Personalities and challenges and rewards. The topography and images are rewarding enough, but the challenge and vision of the mines founders is just staggering. I remember once reading a Vietnamese account of meeting 'foreign' (Read 'white') guys. It read something like: "They are an extraordinary enemy. There is no obstacle too hard, no challenge too dangerous, no enterprise too difficult that they will not attempt and conquer, and if they fail, they will leave it to their next generation to accomplish."
I have been to the top of high mountains at sunrise and sunset. It is awe inspiring. They are so majestic. But I have a pilot friend that showed me pictures from an altitude of 30,000 feet, going over the ocean, with the sun rising above mountains in the horizon. Seeing this every day must be humbling and almost bring tears to the eyes.
what have they achieved? did the indigenous people get the wealth? do you realize the damage mining does to the environment? the chemicals etc.....and how it takes the total destruction of the mountain to get anything..since tons of the mountain must be ground up to get an ounce of gold....maybe you should go watch a few documentaries of how mining has destroyed the environment and killed 10's of thousands of poor people caught in mans "achievement"...for personal wealth at any cost.......
Very few geologists do gold...yitrium is in , lithium is in ,. Glaciers and streams an volcanos are high energy , active forces, and fun...gold and diamonds are run by pirate's...and the problem zones are where there's no govment..no coppers , no law...over all where once there was a mountain now there is a hole ,the earth will be ok. Enjoy your refrigerator and centrail heat an hit water- don't think about the copper, essential to the gig.
I love Indonesia and it’s people, we were in the island of Sulawesi, a different mine, but just as amazing. I hope all these companies once the mines are finished they do a proper cleanup so nature can recover. Great documentary.
There's a big conspiracy which is not just a theory that made this huge mine happen, which involved political coup, and mass murder of certain political followers in Indonesia.
Yes very dubious logic I would have thought. She plants beautiful forests and says nah nah nah nah bet you can't cut it all down and turn it into a toxic waste land too. Turns out she lost that bet too!
Mother nature got put in a headlock. Heavy equipment flattened everything in their way. But left alone for a little while, it all grows back. Carbon is a two way street.
They got enough copper to wire the remote parts of the world to join the 20th and 21st centuries, which brings modern medicine to cure/ treat dangerous diseases like malaria and parasitic intestinal worms. What a grotesque moment when indigenous peoples put down their cannibalism customs with their bows and arrows and nose bones, & penis gourds to drive 200 Ton trucks, so that they can buy a Sony radio to listen to Rap Music. Is Rap really music? Mountains so far back in the jungle you'd never know it if they hadn't made a documentary about it. Hahaha
The same thing has been done to my Montana friends sacred mountains around Fort Belnap, same scale & leaving heavy metals poisoning all the animals, and people. His tribe experiences birth defects and diseases. Landorf Zandusky Mining Company destroyed their mountains for 18 years and all for a grand total of one long bed pickup truck load of gold, by late 90's. Sad. . .
you seem to think thats a bad thing... uneducated ignorance, actions have consequences ya know. just tear the ground up anywhere you go and leave the next generation to deal with it, boomers 😹
I think anywhere in the world where there are spring waters flowing out of mountains and bed of black rocks, maybe it’s time to invest in a good metal detector……….
erzbergrodeo is held at the erzberg mine its the most badass motocross race ive ever heard of one day i wish to go, thousands of riders start and like ten finish its the most grueling toughest race there is they go up those vertical hills its insane especially when hundreds at a time are attempting it lol
@@sethporterfield6981 quite different actually those are long desert type races, see that picture of the mine, imagine being at the bottom and the race is up those straight up verticle climbs and thrugh the surrounding steep hilly woods, and over giant boulders and rocks carved out from mining the area! litereally like a hand ful of people finish it every year out of thousands check it out sometime just type in erzberg rodeo motocross races
@@chrisyoung6588 Do you think a mine like this could be built in Alaska? The environmental movement won’t even let Pebble Mine be developed. There were a few of us from Alaska that worked over there both short term and long term. The supervisor for the big truck shop up top was from Fairbanks. I did network installation and turn up with the Indonesians just short term but a couple guys I worked with for here took long term contracts.
What an amazing documentary, I am Australian & have heard many stories of the copper & gold mines in the PNG mountains, some of the relies have even worked at some of them, but I had no idea of the Irian Jaya, also called West Papua, mines. There have been a lot of political problems in the region to do with independence from Indonesia, but they were not even hinted on in this doco, I guess a story for another time, very well made watch.
they never will independent. they even cant handle that. and beforethat israel have to give palestinians their land back. did you see palestine? if you compare papua with palestine than palestine is a KZ and papua a normal country
@@NPC-fl3gqwell.. before asking that, let's give Australia back to the Aborigines. The rest of the inhabitants there are either criminals threw out of the UK or new comers who do not even realize that they helping the robber taking over the land from the owner. The western left so many bloody criminal acts wherever they go. What an achievement.
@@alinurmohamudhajji2768 50 yrs in the work world, in 3 diff professions, taught me there's a helluva lot more folk make a habit of saying "hard work pays" who hardly work than there are who work hard. generally the folk who work hardest hardly get paid. I see in many comments re: the bulldozer driver who made this mine accessible that a lot of folk who wrote those comments learned the same lesson in their careers
The super rich kids have always had the money and time to go far off places and to do dangerous activities. I remember the actual first reports of Rockefeller junior going missing. Rockefeller senior spent over a year of concentrated searches and the extended search continued for years, but to no avail.
Seems like when there is money they’re all over it guess that’s why they’re still in the 1% of the world, That is the price to pay if you want to stay And known for its richest
I stack “Physical Silver” and “Physical Gold” because these days “Fiat Currency” can collapse with over printing and with inflation settling into the U.S. and around the world in different countries. Physical Gold” and “Physical Silver” are great hedge against inflation and even “Physical Copper” is worth something. I have a few coins made out of “Physical Silver” from “New Guinea” and always wondered why you “New Guinea” and after watching this documentary now I know why “New Guinea”. I salute these men and women for accomplishing some great and grandeur with sheer grit. For bringing “Physical Silver” and “Physical Gold” from mountain tops 14,000 feet in the sky down to earth to the common man like myself.
I wish they would have given the locals some of the wealth, in some sort of way. Massive mines produce massive amounts of pollution and waste also :( Beautiful place.
Thank you for licensing & publishing this documentary. This type of information should be preserved as original source human development data and preserved in blockchain archive for all time. This is truly an engineering marvel. And the people involved such as Iliad Hamis are amazingly specialized...very hyper-specialized human intelligence. The future-bots will find this quite interesting. Thank you.
I never expected the world largest gold mine located in Indonesia. May the use of natural resources put in good use for the nation and the local people of Papua
Tembagapura, folks lived and worked there for 20+ years until my father retired as mine superintendent. I still have my Lupa Lela Club membership card, I’m member #67. That picture of the Huey brings back memories, I flew PK-VBR with John and Ted for years!
The cod of the 🇺🇸 most valuable secret mission, where the name of the most famous product for sale, which it had contaminated with toxic pleasure, the entire population of the planet : Pepsi, Coca-Cola, Corona, Cornflakes, Nike... Ps : Just note here a clear 🇺🇸☠️Pirate☠️ strategy : 4:39 4:22 4:52 in this particular order !
People talk of greed and environmental harm while using phones and computers and electric cars? These things require copper and gold and many other minerals to exist.
After the break out of the Pacific War, this sierra slowed down the quick southward advance of the Japanese. Eventually, it made Japan's invasion of Australia never happening. Due to the difficult terrains, the Japanese were forced to use the sea route for invasion, then the Battle of the Coral Sea and Guadalcanal ensued. These battles blunted Japan's offensives and bought the Allied time to fight back. During the fight back, it gave General MacArthur difficulties too. But the Allied overcame the obstacles by the availability of abundant materials and types of equipment and the employment of superb tactics. The Australians were also extracted from the North Africa Theater and sent back to fight in these mountains drastically and gallantly to protect their homestead.
My Uncle Jack was issued with a woollen uniform (including overcoat) when he was stationed in a Northern Syrian snowfield. Two months later he was on the Kokoda Trail where he had to cut his trousers down into shorts while marching to the front.
The war in New Guinea is one of the most under-rated aspects of WW2. Mr. Neal Stephenson is one of the only American authors to address this topic, both in Cryptonomicon' and 'Termination Shock'.
“And then came a sound, distant at first, it grew into castrophany So immense that it could be heard far away in space There were no screams, there was no time The mountain called Monkey had spoken There was only fire, and then... nothing”
The Indonesians have controlling interest now and Freeport will continue to manage the operations so let's see who leaves what and in what condition in the future....
1.8 million dead west papuan genocide check out the activist groups, pics of machete cuts roll in all day hundreds of men stripped and detained, villages held at gunpoint while indonesia rapes the land for palm oil
If it wasn’t the US it would be China. Be grateful it was the US because China wouldn’t give anything back to Indonesia and then somehow Indonesia would owe China hundreds of billions in interest and a major port or two.
Great engineering, would have been useful to include some explanations about how this project was of benefit to the local people who could not drive an earthmover?
I had a native working with me in. Network install and turn up. He was great in doing wiring and punching down Krone blocks. He also learned a lot of English. He was smarter than the Indonesians.
@@sekar9901 Yes, Iran Jaya is a province of Indonesia, but the Indonesians including the government treat the native people there poorly including killing them. Indonesia is very secretive on this and journalist aren’t allowed in certain areas. When they do allow them they are usually escorted so the natives can’t tell the stories about their treatment.
@@Chris_at_Home indonesia gov killed the separatist. The papuan separatists burned shops, house, school, killed civilians including native papuan. Even native papua seek protection to indonesian police and army.
Great engineering but the environmental cost is astonishing. You gotta ask yourself who really benefits here. I had a gold mine near me and it was a very high impact and resource intensive operation impossible to really clean up after removing the precious shiny. Gold corp they called themselves a fully leased subsidiary from Canada dissolved into air as soon as they were done and conned the county out of there cleanup bond. they said they would clean up but left a very deep pit filled with arsenic water. So yes impressive operation from an engineering perspective. What is the real value here. is gold really worth that cost what good does it really do the average person to have this giant industrial fossil fuel intensive extractive monster operation for a little bit of metal. Money aside is this kind of operation worth the real cost. I just don’t see that it is. I feel the same of big dams. We gotta start being responsible with our planet.
@@johnandrewcameron1 gold is in everything lol. But I’ve seen videos of guys stripping electronic motherboards of gold and melting it back down into bars. Gold is super useful and it’s reusable. Most people think we mine the gold for jewelry and it’s not the case at all. Jewelry gold is like a tiny fraction of golds uses.
You feel the same about big dams? Not only are dams used for producing enough electricity for small cities, but they also are important for water supplies.
In the grand scheme of things the cost to the environment was really negligible. The actual surface area destroyed is a fraction of a fraction of a percent of the region.
Indonesia invaded West Papua lay drop bombs from helicopters on small villages thatched huts to keep the locals quite and murder them daily, the Americans don't care and want do a thing about the occupation because their making a load of money along with Australia. The Americans and Australians along with the rest of the west are hypocrites if this was a country was any were else they would be screaming blue bloody murder.
One of the better documentaries exhibiting the fatal human characteristics of greed and avarice, and of our species' blind self-destruction. The very face of evil and ugliness.
Well then...I demand that you give up your belongings derived from materials harvested from the interior of the earth. And anything that was manufactured for the profit of the maker. I don't think you'd be around long to keep bothering the rest of us!
The businesses bought the rights to whatever resources were in that region. The gold belongs to whoever bought the rights to the land. That's how the world works. Bribery, money, business deals, etc. That's capitalism. What exactly is so immoral about that? What, did you think a bunch of Yankees in helicopters just swooped in and stole it all? You're being naive. Someone bought it from someone else. And, yes, just like every investment, the one who took the risk is the one who will either reap the benefits or lose everything and be lost to Oblivion. That's the world. Grow up. That came off really hostile, and I think I sound like a total jerk.. but.. sorry.. yeah, maybe the whole thing is immoral and maybe it's all wrong.. but that's reality, man. We can either be outraged and do nothing about it, or try to make a difference. I just find it annoying when people whine and complain, then change the channel and watch something else and forget all about it. Either you care or you don't. What's the point to any of this? I'm asking sincerely.. I'm just as lost and confused as you guys are.
Correction: The Second World War started on 1st September 1939 when Hitler invaded Poland. Great Britain did not declare war on Germany until the 3rd September 1939
Wow! Just wow! One of the best documentaries I've seen in awhile. I learned so much new info in this. Thank you very much. Who needs superheroes when you have the people who figured all this out! Mindblown
Indonesia invaded West Papua lay drop bombs from helicopters on small villages thatched huts to keep the locals quite and murder them daily, the Americans don't care and want do a thing about the occupation because their making a load of money along with Australia. The Americans and Australians along with the rest of the west are hypocrites if this was a country was any were else they would be screaming blue bloody murder.
I was shocked to see Frank Nelson from Tucson in this film. He was a client of Dean Witter back in the 1980's and I would talk to him on occasion .Just the nicest person you could ever meet, Very happy to see he had such an exciting life. Enjoy each day to its fullest and speak face to face as it will enrich your life far greater than any cell phone could ever.
Well, for the parasite rich who now own the US government federal, state & local. And the greatest difference between political parties is whether lube should be permitted as government assists the parasite rich to anally rape ordinary Americans
Watch the industrial revolution documentary series Powerhouse: Rise of the Machines with a free trial of History Hit! Use the code SPARK at checkout for a big discount on your first three months! 🏭 access.historyhit.com
Keren..
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Just an update, the open pit mine had depleted and closed out in 2021. But the company has constructed and is now operating the largest underground mine complex to extract gold and copper beneath the open pit mine, an operation that could going on for 40 years to the future. If the documentary says that the open pit costed 3 billion, the underground mine costs 1 billion a year to construct. The construction has been going on for the past 6 years and is still going on today.
The topic itself is extremely fascinating as well as this mine in particular, but I just want to point out how much better and "cleaner" these older documentaries are without constant bland rock music and overly excited narrator, plus unnecessary drama. I really enjoy them and would chose them any time
yeah, and the water was wetter and the grass was greener
@@HungrysitesRu shu'up.
Agreed 👍🏼
Yep.
True 8)
My dad Young-Bok Kim, spent over 25 years(early 1970 to late 1990) at this site as a Mill Supervisor. I visited him many times and we loved it. Too bad, I did not have a chance to work with him at Freeport. My Dad passed away on September 28th of 2019. Behalf of my family we thank everyone who worked with him. He Loved, Indonesia, the People, Work, and Freeport. God Bless Everyone ........
condolences for your loss.
I'am so sad to hear that your dad passed away. Let me corrected that your dad last position was as a Milright and Mechanical Superintendent. We worked together while I was looking after as Processing Superintendent.
@@orlandogardner5288 Thank U very much. He had very full life. But we hoped he would smell the roses more often and catch up with family time we have missed. Indonesia and people are GREAT. Everyone should visit once in a life time. CHEERS and GOD BLESS....
Sorry for your loss
@@aJarrowLad525 Thank u very much. He had VERY FULL LIFE for 83years....~~~~~
I'm a jewelry artist and this documentary appears on my watch list. This was a real treat to watch.
Who needs a television. So many thousands of quality documentaries on you tube.
Yes but then you still need a television to watch RUclips 😂
It's like an age of knowledge abundance, I sometimes think it's too good to be true, what's coming next to put a new brake to it? Just don't know why I fear that
@@khiljinagor8976 Let me tell you, there is a state in the world which has actively sought a proverbial 'kill-switch' to , if and when needed, can silence the whole internet in one fell swoop. This state I'm talking about has channelled great resources towards this goal. Who knows how far their plans have advanced.
I needed to hold my cringe and disgust to finish this docu. Its an important one to really understand how the west looks at us, indigenous people, and our land.
@@khiljinagor8976 I'm worried about that too.
I think that dozer operator knows a lot about physics. He engineered that road on the fly. He may not have graduated from MIT but I would not discount his knowledge.. The fact that he did it on an old school dozer is all the more impressive. I tip my hat to you sir good job.
Yes I’ve worked in the woods and built road but nothing like this I would have loved to be there working
As a Physics teacher in high schools for 20 years, here in Australia, let me reply.
We commend and acknowledge the skills this man had in driving a dozer in such conditions, undoubtedly with great skills and much understanding of gravity, mass, momentum , velocity, inertia, etc.
However, it is an extension to say he knows a lot about Physics, when the subject involves the study of matter and its interaction with forces. I would hardly expect him to explain even the most basic of Physics ideas unless he studied it and taught it. So I do disagree with you that he would know much about Physics. He obviously is well versed in the use of machinery, landform, how to move matter, etc. I could not imagine he could explain magnetic or electric theory, nor the theory of matter.
I meant he has an outstanding knowledge in reference to the scope of his job this job. Is he a physicist obviously not. However There is a lot of physics Involved in this sort of operation.Maybe you should climb in a D10 dozer and point it straight up-and-up the mountain. This is real world physics not Is theoretical.
@@jahbay I would certainly agree with you he was an amazing road builder, who took risks, and knew his equipment and its limitations.
@@jahbay no.
It's like saying that Badminton / Basketball / Football players are masters at Parabolic Motion calculation.
They are not.
They have however, honed their muscle movement to the desired specification that allows them to have precise control over their movement and the movement of the balls they're playing with, but they wouldn't be able to explain the details to any layman, unless they also educate themselves on the theoretical and number crunching side of physics. Their muscle and nerves do not recognize the concept of "numbers" whenever they perform high level athletic feat. They just DO it.
What you call "real life physics" aren't actually "physics"
They are just how the world works.
Physics is the STUDY in which one explores the fundamentals of these real life phenomenon and try to make sense of them through numbers.
I worked there for 5 years. Awesome place and great people to work with. The pit & underground mines and processing facilities engineering marvels. Papuan and Indonesian people and cultures truly wonderful. A great memory in my life. Would love to go back one day.
My guess is that you either stole some gold,or tried to and told someone you thought you could trust TRUST NO ONE except CHRIST.I am not judging you,but the temptation would be to great for me even,because I wuv GOLD!!!
can we chat about that mine I would like to look at working there ?
Where you from? Why'd you leave?
Sounds like a cool story. You're braver than I am.
@@markpaul8178 why would you make this comment to him.
Its my guess that you haven't done jack with your life, and that you never will because you lack intestinal fortitude aka BA11s.
Just my 'guess'
This probably should have been a 2-hour documentary. What I saw was good, but I would like them to have spent another hour showing more footage of the mechanics of the mining operation.
There is quite a good bit of videos about both of these mines, and the geologists that found it
Back when the Learning Channel used to have quality programming.
It's less expensive to make reality bull crap tv then documentaries
@@TheGeraford13 Very true. That's why reality shows became so popular. Dirt cheap to produce and make a lot of money. Documentaries=expensive to produce and don't make a lot of money (with the odd exception like say, March of the Penguins).
@@MrBilld75 Based on what statistics? From what I've read, documentaries get plenty of viewers. At least enough to beat out 90% of the crap "fakeality" series that nobody watches. For every "Pawn Stars" raking in the dough there's 10 "Alaskan Hillbillies" or "Big Timber" which nobody really care about. So it's not like making reality TV is somehow easy as pie. The only answer, then, is that the network TV bosses would rather foist reality TV because it's simpler to make (not easier or cheaper) instead of coming up with unique ideas every week for a serial documentary.
Paid TV subscriptions peaked in 2011 and have consistently tanked every year since. Is it any wonder? They're just lazy. And look, now we're watching the documentaries they can't be bothered to show, here, instead.
@@Mavendow Yeah, I agree and I meant cheaper than paying real actors, more than anything. Not necessarily cheap or easy to produce. I'm sure it takes as much effort to film some reality series as it does some documentaries. I was speaking more from special effects/post production and salary perspective.
🤣
Never drove a car:
Drive this 300 ton hauler over there and get loaded, watch the cliffs, here's the keys.
A single truck weighs in at 200 tons! All made by Japanese Company.
Shat my pants? Who wears pants? Not a tribal custom.
As an American truck driver trainers preferred novices and not experienced drivers with bad habits. Better sometimes to have someone who has not been trained limits to what they can do. The company got off cheap with no health and safety requirements and low local wages.
In NV one can get a CDL without a DL.
@@randystone4903, My dad, has been driving for nearly 30 years, including driving in the US Army. With that said, he told me that "driver mills" are things. In other words, the industry in the US is being flooded with low-quality drivers.
I worked there in the late 90's . We built an expansion to the processing plant. Politics and business aside, it is an incredible engineering feat. Amazing experience for me working above the clouds.
How do you get a job there
@@michaelbryant9957 I worked for Bechtel who built the original plant but also did a big expansion in the late 90s. I was there in the late 90s. Unless you are Indonesian, it is unlikely you will get a role in operations unless you have some specialist skills they need. It is not an easy life there (well wasn't when I was there) - you live in shared accommodation (unless management) ~10,000' above sea level and work at 12000' to 14k' - always out of breath etc
What does it look like day? Would think the whole island is below sea level now
@@johncuervo3019 The mountains are over 4000m so I'm pretty sure it is still above the sea.
@@cattnipp he could be thinking the underground operation. 😆 🤣
Magnificent!!!! The logistical support needed for operations such as this is mind bending.
Hard dangerous work. Much respect.
I was a minor for nearly 18 years. It had its ups and downs. I didn't have to pay rent, food was free, I had a free car for the last 3 years but I had to abide by my parents rules so long as I lived in their house.
lmao
@@Mr.Thermistor7228 à
When you said "I was a minor for nearly 18 years " @shananagans5 ... I felt that - on a fundamental level. Facts.
Mining has it's "ups and downs" ......
Oh no , You didn't !!
Shame on You !!
Lmfao
that guy who did that road for them saving them millions and millions I hope they gave one hell of a bonus for the job
Of course they did. He retired with one of the better Rolex knockoffs from Hong Kong In gold plated tungsten. And, he's proud as Hell.
@@morgueaunne6552 funny
@@morgueaunne6552 - He also got a used rebuilt Javanese Tuk Tuk with 90K miles on it and a new paint job.
Morgue Aunne Rolex’s aren’t that expensive
@@dn6092 must be nice to be so high and mighty all well buying and using the product they produce
Being an Aussie I thought the "Super pit" at Kalgoorlie was huge and super impressive, well after seeing this, these 2 mines and what it took to establish them both just took a huge dump over Kalgoorlie's mines head and then rubbed it's nose in what had spilled on the floor. Big thumbs up to Ilyas Hamid for having more of an Aussie attitude then the so called experts from Australia who said it would be a multi million dollar project and then "Cool Hand Ilyas" steps up and says "Yeah nah, fuck that. Give me a dozer a couple of mechanics, fuel and some chickens to eat and I'll have her done for a couple of million." If he was born here in Oz he would have probably tacked on a few slabs of beer for him and the boys each week just to keep performance and moral up?
400'000 people have been murdered to maintain this US thievery.
Free West Papua.
@@proinseasokiellig4388 I believe it...whoever has the most money and resources to put into raping the land gets to benefit from the crime and all it's suffering..these people seemed to be laughing all the way to the bank...smfh
@@proinseasokiellig4388
As an American who is unaware of what you’re referring to, please elaborate?
@@proinseasokiellig4388 So you are asserting more than one third of the total population of West Irian was murdered because of this Freeport project?
@@proinseasokiellig4388
The Americans were sought out and hired to mine the land. The people who hired them are the ones responsible for the brutality against West Papuans, not the Americans.
Your ire should probably be directed against the West Papuan government, who were willing to allow atrocities to occur so that they could tax the mine for its own profit.
My dad worked here for 17 years, I was born and raised in Tembagapura. I miss this place, truly is a wonder.
Its truly a wonder you can sleep at night, given the vast number of Papuans who have been killed, maimed and dispossessed all because of that accursed mine!! .
This documentary had me glued to my seat. The human drive is very inspiring. Superb!!!!
yes!
Human Drive is just About the Money, Maybe think About How its Destroyed this Country
The guy who created heat road is a good example of a guy moving through his work life time from the bottom to the top. You should always promote internally before you look to the outside. He became an expert at mountain road building from all that past work he did. In a way you could say this is the guy that made it out of a death match out of hundreds of other guys. He's the best of them.
Indonesia invaded West Papua lay drop bombs from helicopters on small villages thatched huts to keep the locals quite and murder them daily, the Americans don't care and want do a thing about the occupation because their making a load of money along with Australia. The Americans and Australians along with the rest of the west are hypocrites if this was a country was any were else they would be screaming blue bloody murder.
“Gold you say? We’ll spend billions and move mountains to get it!”
“That village needs a fresh water supply line you say? Sorry, we don’t have the resources....”
That's white folks for you.
@@ronnieson5728 they there to steal all of their shit, then leave the dry. sad
Oliver Fowler Why don’t the people of the village build it themselves?
@@bim1537 They weren't the ones who ruined the river water
You guys are so childish. It's just capitalism. That's how the world works, grow up already.
"Someone should help those people! Just, not me.. but someone should!"
Gold, you say? We'll invest money and take huge risks in the hope of turning a profit. If we're wrong, we'll lose tons of money. If we're right, well make tons of money. It's a gamble.
That village needs fresh water? We'll lose money, won't make any profit from that. So we won't spend money on something that won't turn a profit. We're not running a charity here, sorry.
What can't you understand about this?
If you're so outraged by it, then why don't you take all of your money and spend it on running fresh water supplies to people who need it? Or... Is that not something you'd do?
I know I sound like an asshole here, but that's the reality of it. The world is an asshole, I'm just the douchebag messenger. Seriously, grow up.
The pit is done. Now the underground mine beneath is nearly ready to go. It's an engineering marvel as well.
just imagine the pollution and destruction they will NEVER fix. and all that wealth sure isnt staying in those country's.
I'm not into mining or geology in particular but, man, this was an amazing documentary.
To me, this was about man's extraordinary feat of problem-solving, dedication & perseverance against seemingly insurmountable odds.
Yes, better than any movie seen in the last months😏😏
@@hermanngoring397 Ditch the name, herr Göring. There are other platforms for your xxx-xxxx motherxxxxxxx.
@@robertthomas4234 : is there a little stick up your a** Robert??
@@henryc1000 What? You think Gusman jumped?
The whole thing is quite unbelievable from the topic to the logistics to the people who made it happen to the people who filmed it happening. Glad I watched it. Incredible work!!
You sir are correct and have a sharp and accurate line of thought.
@@chefgiovanni
I thought I heard trumpeting heralds and
the Laugh-In cast's chorus singing "Here Come Da Judge"
as I read that reply
@@oughtssought1198 The mindset of a military man, maybe?
@@robertthomas4234 a definite maybe, while also noting that
Omniscient Observers breed religiously in more families than just the
military embezzlement complex
An absolute marvel indeed, wondering if its like how John marveled in the book of Revelations (politicians worshiping the Nephilim as gods). Angel beside John asked what do you marvel at? Gods angels rejoice over creation Fallen angels destroy his creation (humanity) and mother('s) nature includes land. Agreed brilliant work, cheers and God Bless.
I worked on that mine, I was working for Western Star Trucks Australian and used to travel there from our base in Brisbane Australia, about the year 2000
Who is owner? I hope it belongs to the Country???
@@denisebilby4947 😆 how naive...
@@galapagoensis normal people LOL
@@denisebilby4947 im the owner ! U wanna gold chain 😜😜😜😜🔥🔥🔥
I worked with an Australian fellow who worked there. He had a good story about teaching the local labourers how to put on and tie up work boots.
My parents work here since 2004 and I was raised in Tembagapura. This place is one of a kind. Regardless of the politics that surround this place, especially in recent years, I don't think I would ever relive my childhood anywhere but this place. I just hope the Indonesian government don't mess up it now that they have a majority stake in Freeport Indonesia
They should digitize these documentaries in UHD. Someone back in 1999 must have the masters
Probably recorded on tape instead of film so it would not be feasible to make it better quality
@John Duggan 🤣
In the year 2000!!!
There's is a good doco on film making I'm sure
@@gatewaysolo104 v
Could you imagine how frightened the natives must've been when they saw heliocopters and men dangling cutting down trees and gutting their forests? Damn. That had to be scary for people who knew little about the world outside of their jungles.
@Jon Bjornssen Not nearly as scared as the TNI who had to protect the mine property.
I doubt anyone lived anywhere near there
1.8 million dead west papuans, no mention.
MERDEKA PAPUA
400'000 people have been murdered to maintain this US thievery.
Free West Papua.
I'm pretty sure during WWII the Japanese showed them a few trick's
Early 2000’s discovery channel.. I miss this.
What? You don't wanna see a show about bigfoot every week? Lol
@@moose2577 right?!
I can say the same about the history channel.
@@Laidback_616 me too
yeh
Brings back memories. This is one of the old documentary films of the Freeport McMorran Mine in Irian Jaya.
I worked up there in the 90's.
It is a Copper Mine, Gold is just a byproduct of the process.
Such devastation for greed.
@Bubba Nelson they mainly get copper out of the mine, but there is some Gold and silver in the ore as well. Thats what he means, this is an amazing documentary, seen it on sky TV about 20 years ago.
@@jessicagraham4457 You are free to live in a mud hut if you reject modern materials.
@@jessicagraham4457 I can't begin to describe how stupid you are.
Is it still working
During the Suharto era, Indonesian students were told it's copper only. Thus, there's a city called Tembagapura (copper city)
I hope they paid two fortunes to that Ilias Hamid guy who build the HEAT road for 10M under budget for them. That guy is awesome!
Totally agree.
On the one hand I tend to think that, being a multi-national corporation, I'm sure they paid him as little as possible; dozens of times less than he's worth and many thousands of times less than they could afford.
But then I catch myself getting tangled up in that nihilistic pessimism, and think how that guy seemed incredibly proud of his work and accomplishments. I'd bet he's wealthier than he'd imagined possible in his youth, and extremely grateful for the opportunities and fortune that life has brought him.
I have no doubt that he's earned more than whoever ultimately decided his salary, because he has more than they'll likely ever have: enough.
P.S: I really do believe that, and it makes me feel better about the state of the world and our places in it. But that cheesy namsy-pamsy BS doesn't pay the bills, so they seriously better have paid him enough to send his kids away to a good college, buy a sweet house and retire comfortably. Because if they nickle-and-dimed him, like so many greedy fat corporate pigs would have, that just might be the last straw ✊
Unfortunately, they will not give him millions or hundreds thousands. Greed comes first. Bet you all the workers are grossly underpaid albeit they make billions of dollars.
Right you are he should be a multi millionaire - however Corporate bodies everywhere are run by accountants, most of who have no imagination and absolutely no compassion for the little guy. So yea they make good money but nothing like they deserve.
They put him in the documentary, probably gave him a bonus and a good hearty slap on the back and "job well done!!" Otherwise... he probably didn't get much for his death defying efforts...
@@davidhenningson4782 lucky he wasn't someone's dinner
I have had the pleasure of working here during the time that the HEAT Road was built. I worked from Ridge Camp and was involved with the Maintenance / Warehousing, when the first D11 Caterpillar dozers and the first Cat 785 Dump trucks were brought in. At that time also, the P&H Shovels arrived and section by section, transported up the hill. Not shown here, are the 2 tunnels on the access road and that caused transportation headaches for the transport of the shovel swing gear. At that time, Freeport began privatising their infrastructure and utilities. Timika, the port town was expanded and the lowlands area expansion began, It was a really interesting mine community in which to operate and I am proud to have spent time there.
I am looking at this and all I could think of is the destruction of the rainforest, the destruction of the mountain, the contamination of the river systems, displacement of the first nations, the loss of wildlife/habitat and that is just building the damned place. I shudder to think of what the damage is over all these years.
Rainforest doesn't matter when the whyte man makes money, FACT.
Unless there going to take this gold turn it in to dust use it for a reflecting agent in our atmosphere to reflect the heat from the sun it's just man's greed and total disregard for the planet and man made heating that's going to put everything into Extinction
This mine, big as it is, is minuscule in comparison to the surrounding environment. Once the mine is finished, won't take nature very long to reclaim it and forget that it ever existed.
Right? Thanks to that damage you get to write your words over the internet. You get your home, your car, your groceries, your roads. Metals are the basis of humanity. Can we mine in an environmentally friendly way? Yes. Can we do agriculture without modifying the DNA of plants? Yes. And at last you are a man too. So the question for you is: how have you helped the human race?
@@SpinWave not for much longer climate change and the anthropocene the 6th mass Extinction is roaring in fast
Amazing documentary! No need for 4K when the content is as good as this!... we need more of this to lift our human spirit and believe we can do really amazing things. Thank you!
What,he who has the most money and power gets to rape the land and profit more?
@@imaginewhirledpeas6696 not true % of those profits goes to the people. you could say their system is corrupted and dosen't get distruibuted correctly but thats a whole other discussion.
@@leeroy4206 Personal gains, made possible by tax payer dollars...The story never changes.
I am a Dutchman and I have lived my entire life in Switzerland so I am intimately familiar with the mountains and well my country. This is an incredible piece of engineering, science and well exploiting the local area. I don't think that any mountainscape in the old world would ever be destroyed like this. Then again locals wouldn't ever explore this far since it's really dangerous. I also work for an electronics assembly company and without this mine, my fingers wouldn't be scratched up like they are by copper wires...
well, so you admit you are the one to blaim?
@@bittasweetsymphony726 blame? Why is there anybody to blame? To blame for what exactly? That the modern world we live is directly attributed to mines like these? You enjoy the smartphone or computer that you are on making comments on about blame. Makes no sense. How people who are against this are considered “progressive”. There’s absolutely no progression at all. Smh. Thank God for courageous men like the ones depicted in this documentary.
@@bittasweetsymphony726 Everyone using technology is to blame. Including yourself.
You like mountain? Surprisingly it located near the one of 7 summits in this world. Wanna guess it?
3 billion and 20 years to build. That new East Bay Bridge in SF Bay has cost 10 billion so far and took 24 years to build. Somebody or a lot of sombodys in California got rich on that one.
phillip kalaveras just to have everyone burned out
Hopefully the big one will hit soon and will drop that bridge into the sea.
Had to get rid of the sutrose bath house pipes under the bridge and throughout the bay.
Evidence or something
They got rich off of it before and will again.
I wonder if they just moved the pipe system that turned cold water i to those exciting hot pools.
Maybe putting out in tracy ca for the new giant water amusement park and entertainment center.
With besches and yaught parking and births and virtual reality rides and fast cars and casino and pro teams and heck prob summer Olympics.
My guess.
Thats all.
Spirit of california...check out home page people.
Yup and rich get Richer....
I left east coast to get away from it and shit seems to follow me.
Errrrrr
yea like 80% of the money went to some bank accounts the rest into construction.. its a ridiculous price. the rich get richer just from making up random numbers and getting away with it
Dang! Breathtaking doco. Came across it by accident, began ... and was riveted every second right unto the end. Personalities and challenges and rewards. The topography and images are rewarding enough, but the challenge and vision of the mines founders is just staggering.
I remember once reading a Vietnamese account of meeting 'foreign' (Read 'white') guys. It read something like: "They are an extraordinary enemy. There is no obstacle too hard, no challenge too dangerous, no enterprise too difficult that they will not attempt and conquer, and if they fail, they will leave it to their next generation to accomplish."
It is so nice to be white. White is Beautiful,and always will be.
This was a master feat of engineering. That dozer driver that created the road to Ertsberg should get a million dollar bonus cheque annually for life.
One of the most memorable documentaries I've watched in recent years. Thanks for uploading
I bet Todd Hoffman couldn’t find any gold in that mountain
Best comment I’ve seen!😂
so damn accurate hahahaaha
😂😂😂😂
😂
lmao!!! Come on man.
Incredible most of this was done in 5 years! I’ve seen 20 mile flat road projects here in the States take that long 😂
Gold will always speed things up.
No environmental impact studies and no one living near the mining areas helps.
I have been to the top of high mountains at sunrise and sunset. It is awe inspiring. They are so majestic. But I have a pilot friend that showed me pictures from an altitude of 30,000 feet, going over the ocean, with the sun rising above mountains in the horizon. Seeing this every day must be humbling and almost bring tears to the eyes.
400'000 people have been murdered to maintain this US thievery.
Free West Papua.
@@proinseasokiellig4388 And other countries have murdered their own citizens for money and power, don’t even try and pretend your country is innocent.
That awe sure is inspiring!
@@proinseasokiellig4388 and you shared fake data
Same story for hundreds of years… natives want to live in harmony with their environment and explorers want to conquer it.
I just watched this documentary again and as impressed as I was the first time! So brilliant, what men achieve daily!
Me too!
what have they achieved?
did the indigenous people get the wealth?
do you realize the damage mining does to the environment?
the chemicals etc.....and how it takes the total destruction of the mountain to get anything..since tons of the mountain must be ground up to get an ounce of gold....maybe you should go watch a few documentaries of how mining has destroyed the environment and killed 10's of thousands of poor people caught in mans "achievement"...for personal wealth at any cost.......
@@jadezee6316 We are taking different perspectives, on the matter.
And one woman 😆
So brilliant... got into pristine ancient wilderness and destroy it
Geologists: Discover beautiful places, assess them, and destroy them to exploit them. Humans are strange animals, indeed.
Very few geologists do gold...yitrium is in , lithium is in ,. Glaciers and streams an volcanos are high energy , active forces, and fun...gold and diamonds are run by pirate's...and the problem zones are where there's no govment..no coppers , no law...over all where once there was a mountain now there is a hole ,the earth will be ok. Enjoy your refrigerator and centrail heat an hit water- don't think about the copper, essential to the gig.
If you own a toaster you're part of the destruction.
Ashes on glaciers , and or sawdust , insulation , there both solutions to global changes in the weather , my toaster is snot the issue.
I love Indonesia and it’s people, we were in the island of Sulawesi, a different mine, but just as amazing. I hope all these companies once the mines are finished they do a proper cleanup so nature can recover. Great documentary.
Cleanup will never ever happen
clean what!!LAMO!! there only concern is the metal they give 2 fucks about anything else sis
I'm sure glad the people of Indonesia directly benefit from the mine profits...
Oh yes, believe! You believe in Santa too?
There's a big conspiracy which is not just a theory that made this huge mine happen, which involved political coup, and mass murder of certain political followers in Indonesia.
Salute to the indigenous people whose natural habitats were destroyed, and they got a photo shoot opportunity as a reward.
"Mother nature implanted this wonderful ore body at 13000 feet n said come get it!"
Mother Nature: huh?
Yes very dubious logic I would have thought. She plants beautiful forests and says nah nah nah nah bet you can't cut it all down and turn it into a toxic waste land too. Turns out she lost that bet too!
@belly tripper seems like it
Mother nature doesn't exist.
@@dk3062 yo dad don't exist
Mother nature got put in a headlock. Heavy equipment flattened everything in their way. But left alone for a little while, it all grows back. Carbon is a two way street.
37:30 This is going to cost tens of millions of dollars. Ilyas- 2 things: Get me a bulldozer... and hold my beer.
31:10 What a grotesque moment. That beautiful mountain completely leveled.
They got enough copper to wire the remote parts of the world to join the 20th and 21st centuries, which brings modern medicine to cure/ treat dangerous diseases like malaria and parasitic intestinal worms. What a grotesque moment when indigenous peoples put down their cannibalism customs with their bows and arrows and nose bones, & penis gourds to drive 200 Ton trucks, so that they can buy a Sony radio to listen to Rap Music. Is Rap really music? Mountains so far back in the jungle you'd never know it if they hadn't made a documentary about it. Hahaha
what
@Jeff Peate Absolutely right Jeff
The same thing has been done to my Montana friends sacred mountains around Fort Belnap, same scale & leaving heavy metals poisoning all the animals, and people. His tribe experiences birth defects and diseases. Landorf Zandusky Mining Company destroyed their mountains for 18 years and all for a grand total of one long bed pickup truck load of gold, by late 90's. Sad. . .
@@deedee7652 Stop using your computer, phone, vehicles, stop using electricity etc., you're part of the problem.
If you found a deposit like that in the U.S these days the environmentalists would NEVER allow it to be built. That’s an amazing accomplishment.
you seem to think thats a bad thing... uneducated ignorance, actions have consequences ya know. just tear the ground up anywhere you go and leave the next generation to deal with it, boomers 😹
This is so amazing. I work underground in a gold mine in Fiji Islands.
Do you want to talk about selling me some gold?
@@carljones9933 I got gold ore not purified and I got pyrite. Want some.
@@shushilchand8266 yes of course,, how should we go about this?
I'll give you my email address.
Can I buy some gold thanks
Brilliant documentary.
I live in Australia, and knew there were big mines in this region, but didn't realize they were so high.
I think anywhere in the world where there are spring waters flowing out of mountains and bed of black rocks, maybe it’s time to invest in a good metal detector……….
I met many Aussies at this mine.Many worked for Bechtel doing engineering for mine expansion and there were miners working underground.
erzbergrodeo is held at the erzberg mine its the most badass motocross race ive ever heard of one day i wish to go, thousands of riders start and like ten finish its the most grueling toughest race there is they go up those vertical hills its insane especially when hundreds at a time are attempting it lol
@@stucclikechucc Sounds like Baja1000 or Dakar.
@@sethporterfield6981 quite different actually those are long desert type races, see that picture of the mine, imagine being at the bottom and the race is up those straight up verticle climbs and thrugh the surrounding steep hilly woods, and over giant boulders and rocks carved out from mining the area! litereally like a hand ful of people finish it every year out of thousands check it out sometime just type in erzberg rodeo motocross races
Wow this is a really well put together documentary. Very informative and interesting. I didn't want it to end. This was really good. Well done.
There is parts missing this is edited
DO YOU THINK IT WAS GOOD FOR THE LOCALS?D OYUO LIKE GOLD?
There is gold in Alaska
Let's go get it
@@chrisyoung6588 Do you think a mine like this could be built in Alaska? The environmental movement won’t even let Pebble Mine be developed. There were a few of us from Alaska that worked over there both short term and long term. The supervisor for the big truck shop up top was from Fairbanks. I did network installation and turn up with the Indonesians just short term but a couple guys I worked with for here took long term contracts.
What an amazing documentary, I am Australian & have heard many stories of the copper & gold mines in the PNG mountains, some of the relies have even worked at some of them, but I had no idea of the Irian Jaya, also called West Papua, mines. There have been a lot of political problems in the region to do with independence from Indonesia, but they were not even hinted on in this doco, I guess a story for another time, very well made watch.
No so much about independence as much as about this wealth. Teroraizing people of the land is a way of big corporations to get it all for free.
they never will independent. they even cant handle that. and beforethat israel have to give palestinians their land back. did you see palestine? if you compare papua with palestine than palestine is a KZ and papua a normal country
Pretty obvious why the indo govt weren't willing to allow West Papuan independence.
@@NPC-fl3gqwell.. before asking that, let's give Australia back to the Aborigines. The rest of the inhabitants there are either criminals threw out of the UK or new comers who do not even realize that they helping the robber taking over the land from the owner.
The western left so many bloody criminal acts wherever they go. What an achievement.
*Man falls down cliff and gets speared through the heart*
Shouldn’t have replaced me after 30 minutes
Bet he got his parts when he needed them after that, man seems like a dozer god.
@@Chris-sf7ug no gods this is crimes to humanity
hard work pays
@@alinurmohamudhajji2768
50 yrs in the work world, in 3 diff professions, taught me
there's a helluva lot more folk make a habit of saying
"hard work pays"
who hardly work
than there are who work hard.
generally the folk who work hardest hardly get paid.
I see in many comments re: the bulldozer driver who made this mine accessible that
a lot of folk who wrote those comments learned the same lesson in their careers
Rockefeller that must have been an expensive dinner.
The super rich kids have always had the money and time to go far off places and to do dangerous activities. I remember the actual first reports of Rockefeller junior going missing. Rockefeller senior spent over a year of concentrated searches and the extended search continued for years, but to no avail.
@@larrymbouche, Tom Hanks is the spitting image of Michael Rockefeller.
Seems like when there is money they’re all over it guess that’s why they’re still in the 1% of the world, That is the price to pay if you want to stay And known for its richest
@@larrymbouche sucked in
I stack “Physical Silver” and “Physical Gold” because these days “Fiat Currency” can collapse with over printing and with inflation settling into the U.S. and around the world in different countries. Physical Gold” and “Physical Silver” are great hedge against inflation and even “Physical Copper” is worth something. I have a few coins made out of “Physical Silver” from “New Guinea” and always wondered why you “New Guinea” and after watching this documentary now I know why “New Guinea”. I salute these men and women for accomplishing some great and grandeur with sheer grit. For bringing “Physical Silver” and “Physical Gold” from mountain tops 14,000 feet in the sky down to earth to the common man like myself.
Excellent!
I'm Indonesian glad to see our local friend Ilyas Hamid was respected as part of this incredible documentary.
I wish they would have given the locals some of the wealth, in some sort of way. Massive mines produce massive amounts of pollution and waste also :(
Beautiful place.
Thank you for licensing & publishing this documentary. This type of information should be preserved as original source human development data and preserved in blockchain archive for all time.
This is truly an engineering marvel. And the people involved such as Iliad Hamis are amazingly specialized...very hyper-specialized human intelligence. The future-bots will find this quite interesting. Thank you.
The open-cast mine is a lot bigger now, then a lot more underground as well.
So impressive!
400'000 people have been murdered to maintain this US thievery.
Free West Papua.
21:42 - What a marvelous analogy (the violin)... Excellent documentary...
4:40 He just has to be a villain from a movie.
Yes omg yes
I never expected the world largest gold mine located in Indonesia. May the use of natural resources put in good use for the nation and the local people of Papua
Don't be greedy like bandit nation. It's a company not a charity foundation.
Respect to my fellow Dozer operators 🙌🏻
its so sad to see those beautiful mountains be demolished
Nothing lasts forever. Those mountains would eventually erode away like countless other mountains before.
Tembagapura, folks lived and worked there for 20+ years until my father retired as mine superintendent. I still have my Lupa Lela Club membership card, I’m member #67. That picture of the Huey brings back memories, I flew PK-VBR with John and Ted for years!
"I got there"
"I met the people who lived there and they didn't kill us.
"And I jumped up and down screaming.......
"Yahoo! Mine All Mine!""
The Mario Cart 64 mountain track is actually based off this!
Seriously?
Super Nerdio! I like it. 😉
Not true
WOW!!! CARTOON GAME ON REALITY.
The cod of the 🇺🇸 most valuable secret mission, where the name of the most famous product for sale, which it had contaminated with toxic pleasure, the entire population of the planet :
Pepsi, Coca-Cola, Corona, Cornflakes, Nike...
Ps : Just note here a clear
🇺🇸☠️Pirate☠️ strategy :
4:39
4:22
4:52
in this particular order !
Its probably for the best that they have never driven a vehicle before, that way they can train them to drive just as they want them to
People talk of greed and environmental harm while using phones and computers and electric cars? These things require copper and gold and many other minerals to exist.
After the break out of the Pacific War, this sierra slowed down the quick southward advance of the Japanese. Eventually, it made Japan's invasion of Australia never happening. Due to the difficult terrains, the Japanese were forced to use the sea route for invasion, then the Battle of the Coral Sea and Guadalcanal ensued. These battles blunted Japan's offensives and bought the Allied time to fight back.
During the fight back, it gave General MacArthur difficulties too. But the Allied overcame the obstacles by the availability of abundant materials and types of equipment and the employment of superb tactics.
The Australians were also extracted from the North Africa Theater and sent back to fight in these mountains drastically and gallantly to protect their homestead.
My Uncle Jack was issued with a woollen uniform (including overcoat) when he was stationed in a Northern Syrian snowfield. Two months later he was on the Kokoda Trail where he had to cut his trousers down into shorts while marching to the front.
The war in New Guinea is one of the most under-rated aspects of WW2. Mr. Neal Stephenson is one of the only American authors to address this topic, both in Cryptonomicon' and 'Termination Shock'.
this narrator is legendary
No!
Godly
Now this is why I love RUclips!!! Fantastic amazing show👍💪🔥
This is a 20 year old Discovery channel documentary. This "spark" channel replays stuff without giving credit.
@@alvinaliathos6137 The original with Carl Sagan I watched when it came out.
@M D wow why so angry?
Great to see you back. Love the videos and education you share
I bought stock in Fcx when it was 8 bucks. Luckily that worked out...I think gold & copper prices will continue going higher
you ever stop to think that minerals are there in place because they serve a purpose within the existence of this living planet?????
No actually, I did not
The narrators voice kept me hooked to watch this fully
“And then came a sound, distant at first, it grew into castrophany
So immense that it could be heard far away in space
There were no screams, there was no time
The mountain called Monkey had spoken
There was only fire, and then... nothing”
I would be curious to see how Freeport left those mountains, a paradise or a cemetery.
The Indonesians have controlling interest now and Freeport will continue to manage the operations so let's see who leaves what and in what condition in the future....
the areas that were mined look like old mines. The rest of island is untouched. Or, the magic word "pristine". Fuck off.
If you use Google Earth to look at the Ertsberg mine, which was worked out and closed - you can't see it. Just jungle.
To risk a billion dollars, in a country, that could take it away, on a whim.
Is all this gold, why China is getting cozy with Indonesia?
1.8 million dead west papuan genocide
check out the activist groups, pics of machete cuts roll in all day
hundreds of men stripped and detained, villages held at gunpoint
while indonesia rapes the land for palm oil
Unfortunately, this mine is controlled by the United States, not by Indonesia,But fortunately now 51% of the shares are controlled by Indonesia :).
What he said ^
If it wasn’t the US it would be China. Be grateful it was the US because China wouldn’t give anything back to Indonesia and then somehow Indonesia would owe China hundreds of billions in interest and a major port or two.
Well the Indonesians sure as hell weren't going to develop it.
@@firebry23 it would still just be a mountain if left to the Indonesians and everyone it employees would be jobless.
Just trying to Imagine how Many "unfrindly locals" had to be killed for stealing the metal.
Great engineering, would have been useful to include some explanations about how this project was of benefit to the local people who could not drive an earthmover?
I had a native working with me in. Network install and turn up. He was great in doing wiring and punching down Krone blocks. He also learned a lot of English. He was smarter than the Indonesians.
@@Chris_at_Home Heh - I worked for awhile there and observed the same thing! Even smarter than the Indonesian engineers in many cases.
@@Chris_at_Home native papuan is Indonesian too
@@sekar9901 Yes, Iran Jaya is a province of Indonesia, but the Indonesians including the government treat the native people there poorly including killing them. Indonesia is very secretive on this and journalist aren’t allowed in certain areas. When they do allow them they are usually escorted so the natives can’t tell the stories about their treatment.
@@Chris_at_Home indonesia gov killed the separatist. The papuan separatists burned shops, house, school, killed civilians including native papuan. Even native papua seek protection to indonesian police and army.
JimBob was a good friend, and we miss him.
When I saw "James Robert" I said, "you mean Jim Bob?"
Great engineering but the environmental cost is astonishing. You gotta ask yourself who really benefits here. I had a gold mine near me and it was a very high impact and resource intensive operation impossible to really clean up after removing the precious shiny. Gold corp they called themselves a fully leased subsidiary from Canada dissolved into air as soon as they were done and conned the county out of there cleanup bond. they said they would clean up but left a very deep pit filled with arsenic water. So yes impressive operation from an engineering perspective. What is the real value here. is gold really worth that cost what good does it really do the average person to have this giant industrial fossil fuel intensive extractive monster operation for a little bit of metal. Money aside is this kind of operation worth the real cost. I just don’t see that it is. I feel the same of big dams. We gotta start being responsible with our planet.
They are not processing the ore there shipping it out all they are doing is digging a hole
@@johnandrewcameron1 gold is in everything lol. But I’ve seen videos of guys stripping electronic motherboards of gold and melting it back down into bars. Gold is super useful and it’s reusable. Most people think we mine the gold for jewelry and it’s not the case at all. Jewelry gold is like a tiny fraction of golds uses.
You feel the same about big dams? Not only are dams used for producing enough electricity for small cities, but they also are important for water supplies.
@@PoohOnYourShoe they decimate the fish population in rivers and lakes.
In the grand scheme of things the cost to the environment was really negligible. The actual surface area destroyed is a fraction of a fraction of a percent of the region.
I’ve heard about this mine. It makes the Kalgoorlie super pit seem small. Great video !!!
Indonesia invaded West Papua lay drop bombs from helicopters on small villages thatched huts to keep the locals quite and murder them daily, the Americans don't care and want do a thing about the occupation because their making a load of money along with Australia. The Americans and Australians along with the rest of the west are hypocrites if this was a country was any were else they would be screaming blue bloody murder.
It saddens me what we've been doing to Earth for so long now :(
@@ricgunn1439 Apparently you don't understand climate change.
Spark, please upload the 1080p versions, at least 720p
Brilliant documentary I was glued to it all the way through.
400'000 people have been murdered to maintain this US thievery.
Free West Papua.
@@proinseasokiellig4388
which is why "documentary" is not what this is. this is an "infomercial".
One of the better documentaries exhibiting the fatal human characteristics of greed and avarice, and of our species' blind self-destruction. The very face of evil and ugliness.
Well then...I demand that you give up your belongings derived from materials harvested from the interior of the earth. And anything that was manufactured for the profit of the maker. I don't think you'd be around long to keep bothering the rest of us!
Who owns the gold if it's in New Guinea and if someone else took it how much did the people of New Guinea get in replacement of the gold taken ?
They received $24 worth of cheap trinkets (or was that in Manhattan?)
automated slayer 1789 this isn’t RUclips’s problem
The businesses bought the rights to whatever resources were in that region. The gold belongs to whoever bought the rights to the land.
That's how the world works. Bribery, money, business deals, etc. That's capitalism.
What exactly is so immoral about that? What, did you think a bunch of Yankees in helicopters just swooped in and stole it all? You're being naive. Someone bought it from someone else. And, yes, just like every investment, the one who took the risk is the one who will either reap the benefits or lose everything and be lost to Oblivion. That's the world. Grow up.
That came off really hostile, and I think I sound like a total jerk.. but.. sorry.. yeah, maybe the whole thing is immoral and maybe it's all wrong.. but that's reality, man. We can either be outraged and do nothing about it, or try to make a difference. I just find it annoying when people whine and complain, then change the channel and watch something else and forget all about it. Either you care or you don't. What's the point to any of this? I'm asking sincerely.. I'm just as lost and confused as you guys are.
That older Asian guy is the real hero. For building that crazy road in the mountain. Should get shares of the company
@@dr.floridaman4805 It is NOT in Indonesia! It is Papua! Study the history of that big island you ignorant dork! Typical American blindness!
Correction: The Second World War started on 1st September 1939 when Hitler invaded Poland. Great Britain did not declare war on Germany until the 3rd September 1939
Wow! Just wow! One of the best documentaries I've seen in awhile. I learned so much new info in this. Thank you very much. Who needs superheroes when you have the people who figured all this out! Mindblown
Indonesia invaded West Papua lay drop bombs from helicopters on small villages thatched huts to keep the locals quite and murder them daily, the Americans don't care and want do a thing about the occupation because their making a load of money along with Australia. The Americans and Australians along with the rest of the west are hypocrites if this was a country was any were else they would be screaming blue bloody murder.
I was shocked to see Frank Nelson from Tucson in this film. He was a client of Dean Witter back in the 1980's and I would talk to him on occasion .Just the nicest person you could ever meet, Very happy to see he had such an exciting life. Enjoy each day to its fullest and speak face to face as it will enrich your life far greater than any cell phone could ever.
I like your viewpoint, full of facts....
Great historical documentary! Should be compulsory viewing for all exploration geologists.
Is it your real pic?
@Akilah-Ayden chill out, they were the ones who found the ore. It is their right to control it.
@Akilah-Ayden Russia is a parasite, too! Kills its own in tenths of millions and kills others!!
USA SUCH A WORST COUNTRY, THIS IS MUST BE CALLED COLONIALISM!
400'000 people have been murdered to maintain this US thievery.
Free West Papua.
A big Shout outs to Ilyas for the H.E.A.T road to Grasberg👍🏾👍🏾
Hope he became a millionaire for what he did.
@@henrylee8092 fat chance, they said the road cost them only 2 million.
He got his wages and nothing else
How much did the bull dozer drivers family get after he was impaled?
When it come to a profit motive , we humans are very smart and motivated! This is a good thing.
Rich.
Rape everyone not filthy rich
Well, for the parasite rich who now own the US government federal, state & local. And the greatest difference between political parties is whether lube should be permitted as government assists the parasite rich to anally rape ordinary Americans
@@mccormyke Gosh, Myke, I see you are such a happy guy!
@@mccormyke Move to Cuba Myke,
Spark The Best
They probably pushed Guzman out of the helicopter and made him a scapegoat to cover up about the hoax.
Truly a spectacular documentary! An amazing discovery.