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Indonesia to formulate grand strategy for nickel industry
With little to show after years of proclamations, the grand strategy on coal and mineral resources indicates that the government is doubling down on efforts to develop downstream industries.
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Nickel is mined at PT Vale Indonesia’s Sorowako mine. Nickel ore obtained from the mine is processed into matte nickel of 78 percent purity and exported to Japan. (JP/Ruslan Sangadji)
T
he Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry has announced a grand strategy on coal and mineral commodities (GSKM) to push development of downstream industries.
The ministry’s mining director general, Ridwan Djamaluddin, explained on Tuesday that the grand strategy also encompassed a nickel road map for the period of 2021 to 2045, which stipulated strategies for achieving goals, including ensuring the availability of reserves, improving purification processes and developing manufacturing capabilities.
With regard to reserves, Ridwan said the ministry planned to increase exploration and the conversion of nickel resources to reserves.
The government would also conduct an inventory of the low-grade limonite nickel ore reserves and of the higher-grade saprolite nickel ore reserves and simultaneously mine both types to reduce costs.
Meanwhile, to improve purification processes, the ministry aims to expedite the construction of hydrometallurgy factories and nickel sulfate factories. Categorized as a class 1 nickel type, nickel sulfate can be used as battery cell cathode material.
“We plan to limit ferronickel and nickel pig iron plants and push class 1 nickel production,” Ridwan told House of Representatives Commission VII overseeing energy and mineral resources during a working meeting in Jakarta.
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