【Indonesia’s Kideco Deploys 18 Electric Mining Trucks, Projects Around 30% Lower Fleet Operating Costs】

[Turkey] On the domestic front, effectively buoyed by the continuous rally in domestic rebar prices, local steel billet prices remained firm, with domestic quotes rising by 5 USD/tonne to 550 USD/tonne ex-works. In contrast, the import market fell into a supply-demand tug-of-war. Supported by strengthening coking coal costs and robust domestic demand in major exporting nations (such as China and India), overseas sellers showed strong resolve to raise prices. Offers for Chinese resources climbed to 515–520 USD/tonne CFR, significantly slowing the pace of procurement. The primary reason buyers are staying on the sidelines is that Turkish mills had already secured a concentrated 250,000 to 300,000 tonnes of billet cargoes from China, India, and Malaysia in August. With extremely ample short-term spot reserves, buyers are expected to lack the appetite to chase high prices, bringing overall import trading to a near standstill.

Indonesia’s West Nusa Tenggara province plans to convert six small coal-fired power plants on Lombok and Sumbawa islands into solar facilities. Proposed by state utility PT PLN, all conversion plans remain under technical assessment, with no implementation timetable established. The initiative excludes larger facilities such as the Jeranjang power plant in West Lombok. Separately, the provincial Energy and Mineral Resources Office said PLN had identified approximately 1.73 GW of renewable-energy potential, mainly solar and wind; this figure does not represent the capacity of the proposed replacement projects. Land availability remains the main obstacle, and development will require cooperation with investors.

Forge Resources announced on September 8 that it had completed the underground ramp to operational depth at its La Estrella coal project in Santander, Colombia, and was commencing crosscut development toward the coal seams. The crosscut will initially use a 12.4-square-metre support section before transitioning to a 9.0-square-metre section, which the company expects to accelerate subsequent advance. Forge Resources holds an 80% interest in project developer Aion Mining. According to the company, La Estrella is fully permitted and contains eight known seams of metallurgical and thermal coal.