JAKARTA - Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM) Arifin Tasrif opened his voice regarding the resignation of two European companies from the project in North Maluku.

Just so you know, two large companies in Europe, namely BASF from Germany and Eramet from France, have postponed plans to invest in the Sonic Bay project in North Maluku.

Responding to the resignation of these two companies, Arifin said the government would look for other investors to work on the Sonic Bay Project. Arifin said many other companies were interested in entering the nickel and cobalt refining project in Weda Bay.

"If we retreat, we look for others, there are still many who want to," said Arifin when met by the media at the General Directorate General of Oil and Gas (Migas) Building, Friday, June 28.

Indeed, BASF and Eramet, which already have business legality in the name of PT Eramet Halmahera Nickel (PT EHN) to develop the $2.6 billion Sonic Bay project in the Weda Bay Industrial Estate.

Arifin said that the final product of nickel and cobalt refining would actually be used by BASF, but he assessed that BASF had received supply security from other parties.

"He (BASF) decided not to enter Indonesia maybe he was in another place. But we don't know what's behind it," he said.

Previously, based on the company's release, BASF and Eramet's decision not to continue the investment plan was based on the consideration of a significant change in nickel market conditions, especially in nickel options that supply electric vehicle battery raw materials.

Thus, BASF decided that there was no longer any need to invest in the supply of electric vehicle battery materials.


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