Earth from Space - Image Information


LOCATION Direction Photo #: ISS011-E-9620 Date: Jun. 2005
Geographic Region: INDONESIA-WNG
Feature: SUDIRMAN MTS.,GRASBERG MINE


IMAGE
 
Grasberg Mine, Indonesia

Located in the Sudirman Mountains of the Irian Jaya province of Indonesia, the Grasberg complex (also known as the Freeport Mine) is one of the largest gold and copper mining operations in the world. The Sudirman Mountains form the western portion of the Maoke Range that extends across Irian Jaya from the west to the east-southeast. These ranges were formed by ongoing collision of the northward-moving Australian and westward-moving Pacific tectonic plates. Intrusion of hot magma into sedimentary rock layers during uplift of the mountains resulted in the formation of copper- and gold-bearing ore. The rich copper ore was discovered in the area in 1936, and the Grasberg gold-bearing ore was discovered in 1988.

This astronaut photograph illustrates the approximately 4-kilometer-wide open-pit portion of the mine complex; there are also extensive underground mine workings. Access roads for trucks hauling ore and waste rock are visible along the sides of the pit. The mine is located in close proximity to rare equatorial mountain glaciers that serve as indicators of climate change in the region. Removal of vegetation, steepening of slopes related to mining activities, earthquakes, and frequent heavy rainfall have resulted in deadly landslides in the mine workings. While landscape reclamation projects have begun at the mine, environmental groups and local citizens are concerned with the potential for copper contamination and acid rock drainage into surrounding river systems, land surfaces, and groundwater.



Images: All Available Images Low-Resolution 252k
Mission: ISS011  
Roll - Frame: E - 9620
Geographical Name: INDONESIA-WNG  
Features: SUDIRMAN MTS.,GRASBERG MINE  
Center Lat x Lon: 4.1S x 137.1E
Film Exposure:   N=Normal exposure, U=Under exposed, O=Over exposed, F=out of Focus
Percentage of Cloud Cover-CLDP: 10
 
Camera:: E4
 
Camera Tilt: 6   LO=Low Oblique, HO=High Oblique, NV=Near Vertical
Camera Focal Length: 400  
 
Nadir to Photo Center Direction: W   The direction from the nadir to the center point, N=North, S=South, E=East, W=West
Stereo?:   Y=Yes there is an adjacent picture of the same area, N=No there isn't
Orbit Number: 1706  
 
Date: 20050625   YYYYMMDD
Time: 231005   GMT HHMMSS
Nadir Lat: 4S  
Latitude of suborbital point of spacecraft
Nadir Lon: 137.4E  
Longitude of suborbital point of spacecraft
Sun Azimuth: 60   Clockwise angle in degrees from north to the sun measured at the nadir point
Space Craft Altitude: 191   nautical miles
Sun Elevation: 29   Angle in degrees between the horizon and the sun, measured at the nadir point
Land Views: MOUNTAIN, RANGE  
Water Views: RIVER  
Atmosphere Views:  
Man Made Views: MINING  
City Views: FREEPORT, IRIAN JAYA  

Photo is not associated with any sequences


NASA
Home Page
JSC
Home Page
JSC Digital
Image Collection
Earth Science &
Remote Sensing

NASA meatball logo
This service is provided by the International Space Station program and the JSC Earth Science & Remote Sensing Unit, ARES Division, Exploration Integration Science Directorate.
ESRS logo