Reuters reported that a fresh wave of shootings near Freeport McMoRan Copper & Gold Inc's Grasberg mine in Indonesia has left 2 security guards injured.

Police said that the shootings did not affect production at the mine which accounts for nearly 40% of Freeport's total copper reserves of 93 billion pounds and boasts the world's largest gold reserves.

Mr Bagus Ekodanto police chief of Papua said that shots were fired near mile 42 at a vehicle carrying security guards and cleaning service personnel on September 12th 2009 morning.

Mr Agus Rianto spokesman of Papua police said that 1 security guard was shot at his leg and another hit by glass shrapnel.

A series of shootings near the mine in recent weeks has resulted in several casualties but so far there has been no impact on production.

The police and military said that they have stepped up security in Papua, the easternmost part of the sprawling Indonesian archipelago. The Grasberg mine is about 3,350 kilometers east of Indonesia's capital Jakarta.

Papua has been subject to sporadic violence between separatists and Indonesian security forces, while the mine has seen controversy over various personnel, environmental and other policies.

Some analysts have tied recent outbreaks of violence to possible conflicts between the police and military over lucrative security arrangements at the mine and related business ventures, charges the authorities have rejected.

(Sourced from Reuters)