Nickel Reserve Age Only 15 Years Old, Staff Of The Minister Of Energy And Mineral Resources: We Must Limit It

Nickel (Photo: dock. intermediate)

JAKARTA - The Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM) through the Special Staff of the Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources for the Acceleration of Mineral and Coal Governance, Irwandy Arif, revealed the remaining life of Indonesia's nickel reserves. According to him, nickel reserves in Indonesia are 15 years remaining.

"I think if we count roughly 10 to 15 years," said Irwandy, quoted Monday, August 21.

Irwandy said that many parties had different calculations. Some say the remaining 7 years, 10 years and even 15 years.

Furthermore, Irwandy said that the lifespan of this nickel reserve depends on the pepper's explorask activity, the discovery of new reserves and the use of smelters and limousines.

He also said that there were several parties with different calculations, namely nickel reserves in Indonesia, which counted even 7 years, then there were also those who said that there were enough available reserves for another 10 years. But what is of concern, said Irwandy, the use of nickel in Indonesia must remain limited.

"There are parties who say 7 years, some say 10 years, some say 15 years, depending on consumption. Not fixed 7 years, there are developments. Yes, we still say that, that it must remain limited," continued Irwandy.

Meanwhile, to increase the life of reserves, several parties said that the government needed to moratorium or limit the construction of nickel smelters.

Irwandy said that the moratorium plan was still limited to an appeal from the Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources because of the increasing consumption of high-level nickel.

"There is no moratorium yet, just an appeal from the Minister because the consumption of SATrite ore is extraordinary, this is what we have to pay attention to," concluded Irwandy.

Previously, the Association of Mining Experts (Perhapi) and the Geological Agency of the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM) also collected the remaining nickel reserves in Indonesia.

Perhapi Chairman Rizal Kasli revealed that there will be 7 years remaining in nickel reserves in Indonesia if the entire refiner industry has started production.

Then based on data from the Central KA of Coal and Geothermal HR, the Geological Agency of the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources, Hariyanto said, for downstreaming with pyromethalurgy with a nickel ore quality of more than 1.5 percent, the reserve life can reach 9 years ore needs of approximately 387.2 million tons per year if all smeters have been built.

"For downstreaming with hydromethalurgy smelters with ore needs of around 58 million tons per year, the reserve lifespan can be estimated at 32 years," said Hariyanto.