Indonesia nickel mining and processing operation

Indonesia
Transition Mineral
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Tracking Indonesia's nickel and bauxite supply chains, trade and investment flows, and policy landscape in real time — an extension of the ESI research platform.

Minerals Tracked Nickel · Bauxite
Data Modules 5 Interactive Sections
Last Updated June 2025
Coverage Indonesia · Southeast Asia
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Five Interactive Data Sections
Interactive tools mapping Indonesia's nickel and bauxite value chains — from mine to market, trade to policy.
Nickel & Bauxite
The two transition minerals anchoring Indonesia's downstream industrial strategy.
Ni
Atomic No. 28
Nickel
~52% of global laterite reserves

Indonesia is the world's largest nickel producer. Laterite deposits across Sulawesi, Maluku, and Papua feed an expanding HPAL processing base. The RKAB quota system and nickel ore export ban shape downstream value capture ambitions critical for EV battery supply chains.

Al
Atomic No. 13
Bauxite
World's 6th largest reserve

Indonesia's bauxite belt stretches through West Kalimantan and Bintan. A 2023 export ban on raw bauxite ore pushed domestic alumina refinery development. Kalimantan processing hubs are central to Indonesia's downstream industrial policy for solar PV and construction sectors.

Our Featured Publications
Selected ESI research on Indonesia's critical mineral economy.
Industrial nickel processing
ESI Research Paper

Indonesia's Nickel RKAB Quota System: Implications for Investment and Downstream Value

Indonesia's annual nickel production quota framework governs mine output across Sulawesi, Maluku, and Papua. This paper examines how RKAB allocation shapes smelter utilisation, investment signals, and the broader push for domestic processing under the ore export ban.

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Tropical forest in Kalimantan
Policy Brief

Bauxite Export Restrictions and Alumina Refinery Development in West Kalimantan

The 2023 raw bauxite export ban accelerated domestic alumina refinery investment in West Kalimantan and Bintan. This brief traces the financing gaps, permitting bottlenecks, and offtake structures shaping Indonesia's bid to capture alumina value before export.

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Financial district skyline
Finance Analysis

Critical Minerals in ASEAN Energy Finance: Indonesia's Role in the EV Battery Supply Chain

JETP commitments and blended finance mechanisms are reshaping how Indonesia's nickel and bauxite resources are valued by international capital markets. This analysis maps the investment flows, offtake agreements, and policy risks connecting Indonesian mines to battery cathode demand in Japan, South Korea, and the EU.

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Data
Sources
Government
ESDM, BPS, BKPM, MINERBA
Market Data
LME, USGS, Wood Mackenzie
Trade Data
UN Comtrade, BPS export stats