Indonesia's Largest Nickel Production in the World

The United States Geological Survey reported that Indonesia experienced a slowdown in nickel production of approximately 10.9% in 2020. Indonesia produced 853,000 metric tons of nickel in 2019, decreasing to approximately 760,000 metric tons in 2020.

The Philippines followed with a decrease in nickel production of 0.9%. The country produced 320,000 metric tons in 2020, compared to 323,000 metric tons the previous year.

Overall, global nickel production is estimated to have fallen by 5.3%. Global nickel production reached 2.6 million metric tons in 2019, falling to 2.5 million metric tons the following year.

A factory producing raw materials for electric vehicle batteries has officially begun operations in Halmahera Selatan, North Maluku, Indonesia. The factory, under the Harita Group, will produce mixed nickel-cobalt hydroxide precipitates. Although owned by the group, the factory will be operated by PT Halmahera Persada Lygend.

Nickel refining utilizing the HPAL (High-Pressure Acid Leach) hydrometallurgical process has a production capacity of up to 365,000 tons of MHP (Mixed Hydroxide Precipitate) per year. MHP is a product of the processing and refining of low-grade nickel before further processing into nickel sulfate and cobalt sulfate.