Indonesia’s Nickel Industry and the Influence Chinese Firms Have
Indonesia is an international hub for critical mineral production and reserves, with diverse resources including nickel, iron, bauxite, silver, tin, gold and copper. The country’s mining industry has extensive nickel reserves in the Maluku, Sulawesi and Kalimantan islands. Nickel mined in the country is suitable for the production of electric car and stainless-steel batteries. During last year’s ASEAN Summit, U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris and Indonesian President Joko Widodo discussed the potential of a critical minerals free-trade agreement. The free-trade agreement would permit America to receive more nickel for electric car batteries from Indonesia, while allowing the latter country to…