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Eramet seeks to invest in existing nickel smelter in RI after BASF exits
Eramet Indonesia director Bruno Faour said that the company is looking for opportunities to invest in existing high-pressure acid leach (HPAL) nickel ore processing plants by partnering with companies that already have working smelters or are in the process of constructing them.
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A photo shows the logo of French mining and metallurgy group Eramet on March 16, 2023, at the entrance to its headquarters in the Paris suburb of Trappes in France. (AFP/EMMANUEL DUNAND)
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rench miner Eramet assured that it plans to invest further in Indonesia, and it is exploring possible partnerships to produce battery-grade nickel in the country after a similar project with German chemical giant BASF fell through in late June.
Eramet Indonesia director Bruno Faour said that the company is looking for opportunities to invest in existing high-pressure acid leach (HPAL) nickel ore processing plants by partnering with companies that already have working smelters or are in the process of constructing them.
“We have nothing concrete to tell you today about the potential agreement that will be reached in the days to come. But we announce [to other industry players] that we could be interested in partnership in an existing or new [HPAL] project,” he told The Jakarta Post on Thursday.
He went on to say that Eramet “will always be happy to work with everyone as long as these potential partners respect the company’s objective to produce sustainable materials for electric vehicle [EV] batteries.”
Read also: Eramet-BASF's $2.6b investment plan only delayed, minister claims
Initially, Eramet was set to partner with BASF and the two were close to finalizing a US$2.6 billion investment deal to produce mixed hydroxide precipitate (MHP), a key product used in EV batteries, by building an HPAL plant in North Maluku’s PT Indonesia Weda Bay Industrial Park (IWIP).
The project, known as Sonic Bay, had been set to become the first and sole nickel plant in Indonesia with 100 percent Western ownership. Investments for producing MHP have been so far dominated by Chinese companies.
