[SMM Analysis] Progress of Indonesian laterite nickel ore RKAB approval

Published: May 20, 2024 15:44

Source: SMM

Save

According to SMM, Indonesian laterite nickel ore RKAB approval quotas in January-May totalled 217.6 million wmt, with 92 applications approved.

According to SMM, Indonesian laterite nickel ore RKAB approval quotas in January-May totalled 217.6 million wmt, with 92 applications approved. Compared to 152.169 million wmt announced at the end of March, this represented a MoM increase of 42.99%. The number of approved applications accounted for approximately 26.21% of the total. It is important to note that this year's approvals represent quotas in three years. This means that the total approved quotas in January-May will not be fully digested by the Indonesian market demand within 2024. Therefore, the current Indonesian nickel ore approval quotas are still relatively limited, and the overall supply tightness has not been fully alleviated. However, in the short term, the news may impact market prices from a sentiment perspective. With the gradual supply increase, the premium of Indonesian laterite nickel ores is expected to have some downward room in June.

Market review

Data Source Statement: Except for publicly available information, all other data are processed by SMM based on publicly available information, market communication, and relying on SMM‘s internal database model. They are for reference only and do not constitute decision-making recommendations.

For any inquiries or to learn more information, please contact: lemonzhao@smm.cn

For more information on how to access our research reports, please contact:service.en@smm.cn

Related News

3 hours ago

[SMM Analysis] Review of the Nickel Sulphate Market During the 2026 Chinese New Year Holiday and Post-Holiday Outlook

During the Chinese New Year period, the nickel sulphate market remained relatively quiet, with procurement and sales largely coming to a halt. On the production side, some producers continued operations, while others suspended production for maintenance. In terms of procurement and sales, most downstream enterprises that did not halt operations during the holiday had stocked up on raw materials in advance, resulting in subdued procurement sentiment during the holiday period.

3 hours ago

5 hours ago

[SMM Stainless Steel Flash] Turkey Overtakes Germany in Steel Output; High CBAM Default Costs Loom Without Real Data

According to the Stainless Steel Industry Association (PASSAD), Turkey's steel sector surpassed Germany in 2025 to become Europe's largest producer, but officials warned that the industry faces severe cost risks under the new CBAM regime (effective Jan 1, 2026) if companies rely on high default emission values (2.3 tons) instead of actual data (0.6-0.7 tons). To maintain competitiveness and meet net-zero goals by 2053, the sector requires $31.4 billion in investment, supported by the newly launched Turkey Industrial Decarbonization Investment Platform (TIDIP) and the upcoming Climate Law No. 7552.

5 hours ago

[SMM Stainless Steel Flash] German Minister Urges "Location Patriotism" for Green Steel

According to reports on Feb 20, German Environment Minister Carsten Schneider urged industries to show "location patriotism" by prioritizing domestic green steel, a move critics call unrealistic given the EU's 75% reliance on imported iron ore and the fact that cited examples like Deutsche Bahn's green tracks cover only 0.04% of the network. Simultaneously, analysts warn that the EU's protectionist tariff strategy may backfire, citing a NY Fed study showing that over 90% of US tariff costs were passed to consumers while the US trade deficit actually widened to $1.241 trillion in 2025.

5 hours ago