Nickel mining company PT Trimegah Bangun Persada (NCKL), known as Harita Nickel, has completed the construction of its second refinery, PT Obi Nickel Cobalt (ONC), which has been in full commercial operation since August 2024. 

This development increases the company’s low-grade nickel refining capacity to 120,000 tons of Mixed Hydroxide Precipitate (MHP) per year. Additionally, following the completion of its second Rotary Kiln Electric Furnace (RKEF) smelter in 2023, PT Halmahera Jaya Feronikel (HJF), the total installed capacity for ferronickel (FeNi) has now reached 120,000 tons per year.

The company acknowledges that the global nickel industry remains challenging due to factors such as a sluggish global economy, heightened competition, and increasing operational costs driven by policy changes. In response, Harita Nickel is focusing on improving efficiency across its operations to sustain its competitive edge.

One of the key efficiency strategies includes the construction of a quicklime production facility, which will be used as a supporting material in the High-Pressure Acid Leaching (HPAL) hydrometallurgical process. This initiative aims to optimize raw material costs. Additionally, the company is tightening operational expenditures across all business units.

Financially, Harita Nickel reported a revenue of Rp26.97 trillion (US$1.6 billion) in 2024, with a gross profit of Rp8.45 trillion and a net profit of Rp6.38 trillion attributable to the parent company’s shareholders.

Harita Nickel’s Finance Director, Suparsin D. Liwan, emphasized that the company will maintain financial stability while continuing its efficiency drive.

“We will remain focused on running efficient operations, completing ongoing projects, and continuously improving our operational standards to ensure the company’s financial health,” he said as quoted in a statement on Wednesday, March 26, 2025.

In terms of production, Harita Nickel recorded a total sales volume of 23.75 million wet metric tons (wmt) of nickel ore to affiliated processing and refining companies. The company also reported sales of 126,344 tons of FeNi, 63,431 tons of MHP, and 38,622 tons of Nickel Sulfate (NiSO4) in 2024.

To navigate the industry’s challenges, Harita Nickel is determined to enhance efficiency, complete ongoing projects, and align its operations with internationally recognized standards. One of its key initiatives is undergoing an audit for the Initiative for Responsible Mining Assurance (IRMA), reinforcing its commitment to Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) principles.