Report: Indonesia's exports of nickel ore likely to double in 2018

SHANGHAI, Apr 20 (SMM) – Indonesia's nickel ore exports are likely to increase from 5 million mt in 2017 to 10 million mt in 2018 as miners are keen to raise production, according to data by Indonesia's Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources.

As most Indonesian smelters expand, more miners have applied for the nickel export licences, said the ministry's director general of minerals and coal, Bambang Gatot Ariyono.

The director general said that the government will allow exports of a miner's products if miners could build their own smelters, and highlighted that the government is focused on building smelters instead of driving exports. Indonesia has issued 30 million mt of export permits since export ban lifted in January 2017.

He added that soaring prices of nickel are unlikely to last as surges have been driven by external political developments rather than a strong economy.

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