15 April 2025
Jakarta, April 15, 2025 – PT Trimegah Bangun Persada Tbk (NCKL), also known as Harita Nickel, an integrated and sustainable nickel mining and processing company, has voluntarily submitted itself to undergo an audit process conducted by one of the world’s most rigorous independent assurance organizations, the Initiative for Responsible Mining Assurance (IRMA). The audit, which began in October last year, is entering its second phase in April 2025. This marks the first time an integrated nickel mining and processing company in Asia has undertaken the IRMA audit process.
The IRMA-approved independent auditor in Indonesia, SCS Global Services (SCS), will assess whether the company, which operates in South Halmahera, North Maluku, has respected human rights, engaged with local communities, provided a safe, healthy, and supportive work environment, minimized environmental impacts, and contributed to a positive legacy. In total, more than 400 requirements under the IRMA Standard will be evaluated throughout the audit process. The assessment results will be published in a public audit report, released both locally and on the IRMA website.
“By volunteering to have its mining operations independently audited against the world’s most rigorous global mining standard, Harita Nickel is setting an unprecedented example of operational transparency in Indonesia’s mining sector," said Aimee Boulanger, Executive Director of IRMA, in a press release issued when Harita Nickel initiated the audit process.
The spirit of aligning national industry practices with global standards, as demonstrated by Harita Nickel, not only ensures long-term benefits for communities and the environment but also reflects the growing recognition of Indonesia’s nickel industry as being in line with the highest global compliance standards. This alignment is particularly important given nickel’s critical role in supporting the energy transition and the increasing global demand for responsibly sourced nickel.
Harita Nickel’s Director of Health, Safety and Environment, Tonny Gultom, stated, “This transparency demonstrates the Company’s commitment to implementing responsible and sustainable mining practices while also supporting the Indonesian government’s vision for a mining sector that is both environmentally and socially responsible and transparent.”
Since its inception, Harita Nickel has demonstrated a strong spirit of continuous improvement; using assurances and due diligence reports as some of the tools to identify areas for improvement where the company will take a phased approach towards improvement. Harita Nickel has also consistently aligned itself with globally recognized sustainability standards to enhance operational efficiency and strengthen stakeholder trust.
Before commencing its mining operations, Harita Nickel obtained a range of academic studies that serve as the foundation for its responsible operational practices. Among these are hydrological assessments and land-use planning studies, which form the basis for a comprehensive water management strategy—covering the responsible use, recycling, and distribution of water across all operational areas.
As the processing and refining of nickel ore intensifies, Harita Nickel’s environmental management practices have also evolved to meet higher standards. The Dry Stack Tailings Facility (DSTF) has been implemented in former mining excavation areas, complete with a comprehensive water management system and testing procedures that significantly enhance tailings management safety and prevent water contamination risks.
Harita Nickel implements marine environmental management to monitor and protect marine ecosystems around the company’s activities. Management includes water quality, plankton, benthos, fish and coral as well as other indicators of marine environmental health.
Further, Tonny elaborated, "We have also initiated a landscape-based natural risk assessment in line with the recommendations of the Task Force on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD), to better understand and mitigate hydrological and ecological risks."
Commitment to international standards such as IRMA is not the only one adopted by Harita Nickel. The company has also initiated a compliance assessment process for responsible sourcing practices through the Responsible Minerals Assurance Process (RMAP) from the Responsible Minerals Initiative (RMI).
"The compliance status obtained from this audit confirms that Harita Nickel's risk management system has been implemented in accordance with applicable standards. The company will also release its 2024 Sustainability Report in early May, which highlights its performance and elaborates on priorities for improvement in the areas of environment, social, and governance (ESG) moving forward,” concluded Tonny in his press statement.
Further information regarding ESG integration across the value chain can be found on our website.
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PT Trimegah Bangun Persada Tbk (NCKL) or Harita Nickel is part of the Harita Group, which operates sustainable integrated nickel mining and processing on Obi Island, South Halmahera, North Maluku. In addition to its Mining Business License (IUP), the company has been operating a saprolite nickel smelting plant since 2017 using Rotary Kiln Electric Furnace (RKEF) technology, and since 2021, it has also operated a limonite nickel processing and refining facility using High Pressure Acid Leaching (HPAL) technology in the same operational area. Both facilities were established to support the Indonesian government's downstream mandate.
Harita Nickel is a pioneer in Indonesia in processing and refining low-grade limonite nickel using HPAL technology. This technology allows the processing of previously unused limonite nickel into a strategically valuable product, Mixed Hydroxide Precipitate (MHP). Using the same technology, MHP as an intermediate product has successfully been processed into a final product, Nickel Sulfate (NiSO4), which is a key material in the production of cathodes for new energy sources, such as electric vehicle batteries.
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