In the Indonesian province of Papua, a security guard who worked for a mine operated by the United States company Freeport McMoRan Inc., has been shot dead.

The guard, who worked for a copper mine owned by Freeport's subsidiary Grasberg, came under fire while driving a car. Five other employees were injured in the attack. The incident comes a day after an Australian technician working for the company was shot dead in an ambush. Indonesian police suspect that separatists who support Papuan independence may be behind the attack.

The mine is often seen as a symbol of unfair rule from Jakarta. Even among those not necessarily calling for independence, the huge Grasberg concern is a source of friction: locals have complained about its environmental impact and their share of the revenue it earns. In 2002, two Americans and an Indonesian were shot dead. Last week there was an incident of arson at the plant.

Grasberg sits on the world's largest gold and copper reserves on the Indonesian archipelago.

Photo of private road from Freeport mine, Papua, Indonesia by Koen Cobbaert (flickr)