When it comes to battery metals in recent years, the names of lithium, cobalt and nickel will undoubtedly come to mind. Whoever can occupy a larger share in the supply of these types of battery metals will gain more voice in the era of electric vehicles. And right now, Indonesia is definitely coming out on top...

Indonesia jumped to become the world's second-largest cobalt producer last year, behind top-ranked Democratic Republic of Congo, according to figures released by the UK-based Cobalt Institute.

According to the association's data, Indonesia's cobalt production reached 9,500 mt in 2022, a sharp increase of about 2.5 times from 2,700 mt in 2021, surpassing established producers such as Australia and the Philippines.