The partnership was formalized through the signing of a cooperation agreement by Head of the Mineral and Geothermal Resources Center (PSDMBP) Agung Pribadi and Director of Eramet Indonesia Bruno Faour, witnessed by the Special Staff of the Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources for Accelerating Mineral Governance, Irwandy Arif, and Deputy Head of the Economic Department of the French Embassy in Indonesia, Pauline Leduc.

Irwandy welcomed the opportunity for cooperation with Eramet Indonesia, emphasizing the importance of collaboration, including joint studies, for the development of electric vehicles amid energy transition efforts.

"Joint studies on critical minerals, especially regarding the potential lithium reserves in undeveloped areas in Indonesia, have never been conducted before. Ultimately, these studies play a role in understanding Indonesia's potential in the electric vehicle industry supply chain," Irwandy said in a media statement on Monday, May 6, 2024.

The partnership between the Geological Agency and Eramet Indonesia is a follow-up to the memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed by the French and Indonesian governments in the energy and mineral resources sector in 2011. This partnership involves joint studies on critical minerals in Indonesia, including potential lithium resources.

Various aspects ranging from technical studies, exploration, to human resource capacity development are part of the collaboration that will last for 5 years.

Faour expressed enthusiasm for Eramet Indonesia's collaboration with the Geological Agency, stating the company's commitment to contributing to Indonesia's achievement of energy transition targets.

"Eramet is committed to supporting the Indonesian government's efforts to become a global player in driving the world's energy transition," Faour said.

Meanwhile, Leduc expressed support for this collaboration and highlighted the importance of international partnerships in promoting sustainable mineral sector development in Indonesia.

"We hope this partnership can build closer synergies between the private sector and the government, especially in the electric vehicle battery ecosystem," he said.

This initial partnership between the Geological Agency and Eramet Indonesia reflects a significant milestone in Indonesia's journey as a major player in the global electric vehicle industry. In the future, both parties will work together to actively participate in Indonesia's sustainable electric vehicle growth.