24 May 2023
Jakarta, May 24, 2023 - PT Trimegah Bangun Persada Tbk (NCKL), through its subsidiary PT Halmahera Persada Lygend (PT HPL), is ready to produce nickel sulfate. NCKL Corporate Secretary Franssoka Y Sumarwi said that the nickel sulfate plant located in Obi Island, South Halmahera, North Maluku Province has now entering into a significant improvement or ramping up stage to reach full production capacity. This nickel sulfate plant is the first one in Indonesia and the largest in the world by production capacity.
"PT HPL has successfully produced battery grade nickel sulfate for the first time on March 25, 2023. We are very grateful as this is a new milestone achievement in new energy resources in Indonesia," Franssoka said.
Indonesia will be listed as a producer of raw materials for electric vehicle battery cathode precursors and its position in the electric vehicle battery industry map will be more prestigious. Franssoka further revealed that NCKL continues to refine and increase its production until reaching a total production capacity of 240 thousand metric tons (MT) of nickel sulfate per year which is expected in mid-2023.
The company, which previously pioneered in producing a mixture of nickel and cobalt, Mixed Hydroxide Precipitate (MHP) in 2021, is not only producing nickel sulfate. The downstreaming and refining of MHP will also produce cobalt sulfate (CoSO4). Nickel sulfate and cobalt sulfate are the core materials for making new energy source cathodes, namely electric vehicle batteries.
"These two compounds are a real success example of conservation and mineral added value improvement, as they come from a low grade nickel ore or limonite processing and refining that previously could not be processed or became overburden. The right technology, namely High Pressure Acid Leach (HPAL) and a high work ethic make this possible," Franssoka added.
PT HPL's production capacity allows the company to process and refine its entire MHP production into nickel sulfate and cobalt sulfate. However, by 2023, the NCKL subsidiary only plans to process around 50 percent of MHP into nickel sulfate. PT HPL is also exploring sales with several potential buyers and the first export of nickel sulfate is expected to be carried out in early June 2023.
"In the future, the company will continue to improve its entire nickel resource industry chain, as well as become a new energy material manufacturing company that prioritizes environmental management and community empowerment and contributes to industrial development," Franssoka concluded.
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