In 2023, Indonesia's nickel production reached 1.8 million metric tons, accounting for over half of global output. This rapid growth has profound economic and environmental consequences for the archipelago. The following statistics detail the scale and impact of the industry.
Key Takeaways
- In 2023, nickel mining caused deforestation of 15,000 hectares in Sulawesi
- Indonesia exported 247,000 metric tons of nickel pig iron in 2023, down 10% due to domestic processing mandate
- Foreign direct investment in Indonesia's nickel sector reached $15.6 billion in 2023
- In 2023, Indonesia produced 1,810,000 metric tons of nickel contained in nickel pig iron (NPI), representing 51% of global production
- Indonesia holds proven nickel reserves of 21 million metric tons as of 2023, ranking first globally
Indonesia’s nickel output is booming, strengthening its role in the global battery supply chain.
Related reading
02 · Category
Exports and Trade Data20 stats
01
Indonesia exported 247,000 metric tons of nickel pig iron in 2023, down 10% due to domestic processing mandate
02
Nickel ore exports banned since 2020, but 2023 saw illegal exports of 1.2 million tons seized
03
Indonesia's nickel matte exports to China reached 95,000 tons in 2023
04
Total nickel product exports valued at $28.5 billion in 2023
05
MHP exports from Indonesia hit 80,000 tons in Q4 2023, primarily to China
06
Ferronickel exports totaled 45,000 tons in 2023
07
Indonesia supplied 60% of China's nickel imports in 2023, equating to 1.1 million tons
08
Nickel sulfate exports began in 2023 at 20,000 tons from new plants
09
Trade balance for nickel products showed $25 billion surplus in 2023
10
2023 nickel exports to Japan were 15,000 tons of processed products
11
Nickel briquette exports: 10,000 tons in 2023
12
China imported 1.45 million tons nickel products from Indonesia in 2023
13
EU imposed carbon tariffs affecting $1.2 billion Indonesian nickel exports projected 2024
14
Domestic nickel consumption for batteries: 50,000 tons in 2023
15
South Korea nickel imports from Indonesia: 25,000 tons processed Ni
16
Illegal ore exports value: $500 million seized in 2023
17
Nickel content in exports: 1.25 million tons total 2023
18
Trade volume with US: 5,000 tons high-purity nickel
19
Australia imported 8,000 tons Indonesian MHP in 2023
20
Export tax on low-grade ore remnants: 20% in 2023
Interpretation
Exports and Trade Data Interpretation
Indonesia's nickel industry has mastered the art of lucrative defiance, transforming a 2020 export ban into a $28.5 billion powerhouse by 2023, yet it still wrestles with a $500 million smuggling habit and the looming shadow of European carbon tariffs.
03 · Category
Investment and Companies23 stats
01
Foreign direct investment in Indonesia's nickel sector reached $15.6 billion in 2023
02
Tsingshan Holding Group invested $10 billion in Morowali Industrial Park
03
PT Vale Indonesia received $2.1 billion investment from MIND ID in 2023
04
18 new nickel smelters commissioned in 2023 with $8 billion capex
05
PT Indonesia Morowali Industrial Park (IMIP) has 45 companies operating, employing 90,000 workers
06
Chinese firms hold 70% stake in Indonesia's nickel processing investments, totaling $20 billion since 2019
07
PT Weda Bay Nickel invests $4.5 billion in HPAL and smelting
08
2023 saw $3.2 billion in nickel downstream investments approved by BKPM
09
PT Antam Tbk's nickel business unit capitalized at IDR 5 trillion
10
Hyundai and LG Energy invested $9 billion in Karawang nickel EV battery plant
11
Over 200 nickel processing companies registered in Indonesia by 2023
12
PT Central Omega Resources' Obi Islands project cost $2.8 billion
13
Nickel industry attracted 40% of total mining FDI in Indonesia in 2023
14
Total FDI approvals for nickel: IDR 250 trillion in 2023
15
POSCO invested $3 billion in Presto battery precursor plant
16
PT Mubadala Chromium's $1.5 billion smelter in Weda Bay
17
50 MoUs signed for $20 billion nickel investments at IIGC 2023
18
PT Virtue Dragon Nickel Cobalt's HPAL plant $1.2 billion capex
19
Employment generated: 120,000 direct jobs in nickel sector 2023
20
Ford and Huayou invested $1.5 billion in cathode plant
21
PT Indonesia Battery Corporation (IBC) $5 billion gigafactory plan
22
Local content requirement met 45% in nickel projects 2023
23
12 new JVs with Chinese firms totaling $6 billion in 2023
Interpretation
Investment and Companies Interpretation
While Indonesia's nickel boom is industrially staggering with over $250 trillion in investments and 120,000 jobs created, the colossal scale and concentration of control means the nation is effectively mortgaging its strategic resource future, with Chinese firms holding a dominant 70% stake and most new smelters merely preparing raw nickel for export instead of building sovereign battery champions.
More related reading
04 · Category
Production Statistics19 stats
01
In 2023, Indonesia produced 1,810,000 metric tons of nickel contained in nickel pig iron (NPI), representing 51% of global production
02
Indonesia's nickel matte production reached 132,000 metric tons in 2023, up 25% from 2022
03
PT Indonesia Asahan Aluminium (Inalum) smelter produced 78,000 tons of ferronickel in 2023
04
Sulawesi Island accounted for 78% of Indonesia's total nickel ore production in 2022, totaling 1.4 billion metric tons of ore
05
Nickel pig iron output from Indonesia's blast furnaces hit 1.65 million tons in H1 2023
06
In 2022, Indonesia's HPAL (high-pressure acid leach) plants produced 45,000 tons of nickel
07
PT Vale Indonesia's nickel-in-matte production was 75,000 tons in 2023, a 5% increase YoY
08
Total nickel ore mined in Indonesia reached 280 million wet metric tons in 2023
09
Morowali Industrial Park produced 1.2 million tons of NPI in 2023
10
Indonesia's mixed hydroxide precipitate (MHP) production surged to 120,000 tons in 2023
11
In Q1 2024, Indonesia's nickel production was 450,000 tons NPI
12
PT Smelting's nickel tolling output was 22,000 tons in 2023
13
Total HPAL capacity in Indonesia reached 300,000 tons Ni by end-2023
14
Obi's ferronickel plant produced 15,000 tons in 2023 ramp-up
15
Indonesia mined 1.8 billion tons of nickel ore cumulatively by 2023
16
Gunbuster Nickel Industry produced 120,000 tons NPI in 2023
17
Total NPI plants operational: 28 in Indonesia as of 2023
18
PT Nicindo produced 45,000 tons ferronickel in 2023
19
2023 laterite ore processing rate: 250 million tons/year
Interpretation
Production Statistics Interpretation
Indonesia’s nickel industry has grown so dominant that, by 2023, it could be accurately described as a global cartel-in-the-making fueled by Sulawesi’s mountains of ore and a sprawling industrial park in Morowali that seems to churn out more nickel pig iron than actual pigs.
05 · Category
Reserves and Resources19 stats
01
Indonesia holds proven nickel reserves of 21 million metric tons as of 2023, ranking first globally
02
Sulawesi province has 55% of Indonesia's total nickel resources, estimated at 41 billion metric tons of ore
03
Indonesia's measured and indicated nickel resources total 1.6 billion tons of contained nickel
04
Block CY02 in Central Sulawesi holds 4.5 million tons of nickel resources
05
Total nickel laterite resources in Indonesia estimated at 72 billion metric tons of ore with 1.9% Ni grade
06
Halmahera Island's nickel resources are 15 billion tons of ore
07
PT Merdeka Copper Gold's HPL resource base is 1.2 million tons Ni equivalent
08
Indonesia's saprolite nickel reserves are 9 million tons, limonite 12 million tons
09
Weda Bay Nickel deposit contains 4.1 billion tons of ore at 1.45% Ni
10
Total inferred nickel resources in Indonesia exceed 2.5 billion tons contained metal
11
Block CW10 resources: 2.8 million tons contained nickel
12
Pomalaa deposit: 1.1 billion tons ore at 1.6% Ni
13
Total nickel endowment: 25 million tons reserves, 55 million inferred
14
KSK block in Sulawesi: 3.2 million tons Ni resources
15
Indonesia's Ni grade average 1.5-2.0% in laterites
16
Gag Island resources: 500 million tons ore
17
Total JORC compliant resources: 800 million tons contained Ni
18
Huon Ridge laterites: 1.5 billion tons potential
19
2023 nickel ore reserves depletion rate: 1.2 million tons/year
Interpretation
Reserves and Resources Interpretation
While Indonesia's claim to the world's richest nickel reserves is well-founded, the real story is a geological embarrassment of riches, with the island nation sitting on a multi-billion-ton treasure trove that will keep it at the center of the global battery race for generations—provided they don't dig through it all at the alarming rate of 1.2 million tons a year.
Reference
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APA
Margot Villeneuve. (2026, February 13). Indonesia Nickel Industry Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/indonesia-nickel-industry-statistics
MLA
Margot Villeneuve. "Indonesia Nickel Industry Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/indonesia-nickel-industry-statistics.
Chicago
Margot Villeneuve. 2026. "Indonesia Nickel Industry Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/indonesia-nickel-industry-statistics.
Sources & references
67 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level