ESDM pushes critical mineral downstreaming for energy transition
Officials say 31 years of nickel reserves and 22 years of tin should be turned into batteries, cathodes and EVs.
The Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources is pushing downstreaming of critical minerals so Indonesia does not remain only a supplier of raw materials amid the global energy transition. Director of Mineral Business Development at the Mineral and Coal Directorate General, Cecep Mochammad Yasin, said Indonesia has a strategic position as a leading producer of nickel, tin, bauxite, copper and iron needed for solar panels, wind turbines, power grids, energy storage, electric vehicles and hydrogen. He said Indonesia has the world’s largest nickel reserves, with a 31-year life span based on production of 190 million tons per year, as well as tin reserves equivalent to 22 years at production of 65 thousand tons per year. For that reason, the processing chain is being pushed up from ore to MHP, nickel matte, precursor, cathode and finally end products such as electric vehicles and energy storage systems.