China Nickel Market: Upstream Quotations Weaken Amid Rising Steel Scrap Supply Pressure

One of the core objectives of the Indonesia-Philippines nickel corridor is to better connect Philippine ore resources with Indonesia’s downstream processing capacity. The report said the arrangement could strengthen feedstock security for Indonesia’s expanding HPAL and refining system, while giving the Philippines a faster route to benefit from higher-value regional exports through Indonesia’s processing hub. The initiative is also seen as a signal that Southeast Asia is seeking stronger bargaining power in the global nickel and EV battery supply chain.

Indonesia and the Philippines have formally launched a “nickel corridor” initiative during a high-level business roundtable in Cebu. The report said the cooperation is being advanced by APNI and PNIA and will focus on data sharing, cross-border investment, and ESG alignment, with the aim of moving both countries beyond raw material exports toward a more coordinated regional nickel supply chain.

Western Mines Group said hole MTD031 at the Mulga Tank Project also returned several higher-grade nickel intersections, including 6 m at 1.02% nickel from 259 m and 8 m at 0.81% nickel from 298 m. These intervals were also associated with elevated cobalt, copper, and platinum-palladium values. The results suggest deeper enriched zones may remain open and could support further delineation of higher-grade mineralisation.