Reserves For Indonesian Nickels Only Lasts Up To 9 Years?

Illustration of Nickel (Photo: Doc. Antara)

JAKARTA - Investment Minister/Head of the Investment Coordinating Board (BKPM) Bahlil Lahadalia denied that nickel reserves in the country were short-lived or only lasted the next 9 to 13 years. Bahlil said, there are still a lot of nickel reserves owned by Indonesia.

There are reserves that are not yet explored, in Papua, there is nothing. Jayapura, Nabire has many (nickel reserves). Raja Ampat is also still hundreds of millions. So there are still a lot of our nickel," he told reporters, written Friday, February 17.

Therefore, Bahlil also questioned the source of information that nickel reserves in the country were short-lived. He also quipped at businessmen who were considered more understanding from the government.

"If you say it's 9 years left, who says it's 9 years away? Wow, entrepreneurs understand better from the government. I've never heard of that," he said.

Bahlil assessed that perhaps what entrepreneurs meant was reserves that had been explored. However, according to Bahlil, entrepreneurs do not know about Indonesia's approximate reserves.

Maybe his view is that the reserves that have been completed are explored. But what is thought is not yet," he said.

Indonesia, continued Bahlil, stores 25 percent of nickel reserves in the world. Meanwhile, the government only seriously worked on nickel projects in 2017-2018.

Don't be (called) 9 years old, run later investors. So the world's nickel reserves in Indonesia are 25 percent. We just massively carried out it's only 2017-2018," he said.

Bahlil said the government is also pushing forward the nickel smelter must be built with new and renewable energy (EBT). However, for the smelter that has begun to be built, it will continue.

"So if you say you want to be limited in how to limit it, we make them not only build what is considered to be added by 40 percent, but must end to end, and must use EBT," he said.

"If the planner is at the beginning, it's already running, just walk. In the future, we will talk about it in the future. We should not also abuse entrepreneurs," he concluded.