Eramet and BASF Scrap Indonesia Nickel-Cobalt Plant Due to Adequate Nickel Supply and Chinese Competition

The following table shows the ferrous and nonferrous metals movement on the SHFE and DCE on 18 Jun , 2026

[Nickel Industries: ENC Project Expected to Produce MHP in July and Refined Nickel in August] On June 17, Nickel Industries provided an update on the operational status of its Indonesian projects. The commissioning of the Excelsior Nickel Cobalt HPAL (ENC) project is fully underway, with the limonite feed preparation plant having received its first ore in May. Next week, the acid plant will be ignited and the first of three autoclaves will be commissioned, after which the ore pipeline infrastructure will begin transporting the initial slurry between the Hengjaya Mine and the ENC smelter. The autoclave is expected to be fed in early July, and the smelter is anticipated to produce mixed hydroxide precipitate (MHP) in mid-July. The refinery’s leaching circuit will start commissioning in late June utilizing MHP inventory, and refined nickel is projected to become available in mid-August—enabling ENC’s refined nickel to be registered with the London Metal Exchange (LME) and the Shanghai Futures Exchange (SHFE).

[SMM Nickel Flash] June 18 news, the SMM high-grade NPI market sentiment factor was 2.36, up 0.03 MoM; the upstream sentiment factor for high-grade NPI was 2.79, up 0.02 MoM; and the downstream sentiment factor for high-grade NPI was 1.93, up 0.03 MoM. Today, the NPI market continued to see buying interest enter, with spot price centers moving up further. Demand for low- and medium-grade cargoes improved simultaneously, but for high-nickel-unit cargoes, due to their high premium, steel mill purchase willingness was low, with transactions hindered.