JAKARTA, Feb 14 (Reuters) - Copper miner PT Freeport

Indonesia has reduced its copper ore mining to 60% capacity due

to rising stockpiles, Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry

senior official Tri Winarno said on Friday.

Indonesia has banned exports of unprocessed ores to

encourage domestic processing and value-add. Freeport's new

smelter is undergoing repairs following a fire in October, and

it has requested an export permit extension for its copper

concentrate in the interim.

"When their stockpile is full, surely they have to reduce

ore production," Tri told reporters, adding the period the

mining activities had been reduced was unclear.

Freeport Indonesia was forced to adjust upstream production

as its concentrate storage facilities in Amamapare, Central

Papua and in Gresik, East Java, are full, spokesperson Katri

Krisnati said.

She did not elaborate on the miner's current production

rate.

Meanwhile, Tri said an export permit for Freeport was "in

process", adding no definite decision has been made and the

company is required to meet certain conditions, which he did not

elaborate on.

On Thursday, Reuters reported the company is expected to

resume shipments of copper concentrate from Indonesia this

month, citing two sources with knowledge of the matter.

The firm would start loading cargoes destined for China on

Friday in anticipation of receiving an export licence by month

end, according to one source with direct knowledge of the

matter.

"They cannot export while there is no export recommendation

(from the mining ministry)," Tri said when asked about the

potential shipment to China.

(Reporting by Bernadette Christina Munthe, Fransiska Nangoy;

Editing by John Mair and Emelia Sithole-Matarise)