Eramet plans Indonesia mine halt in May as it awaits permit revision

Eramet is planning to halt production at its nickel mine in Indonesia next month while it waits to see if it will obtain an additional volume allowance from the authorities, the French mining group said on Thursday.

Eramet’s nickel mining joint venture in Indonesia received an initial production allowance of 12 million wet metric tons for this year, down from the 32 million it initially received for 2025, as part of steps by Indonesia to regulate more closely mining supply.

In a first-quarter sales statement, Eramet said it will use up its allowance of 12 million wet metric tons of nickel ore by mid-May, with its Weda Bay mine preparing to go on care and maintenance next month.

Its joint venture PT Weda Bay Nickel is submitting a request for an upward permit revision, it said.

Within the initial allowance, the 9 million wet metric tons for external nickel ore sale were used up by mid-April, with the remainder of production dedicated to the joint venture’s adjacent nickel processing plant, it added.

(By Gus Trompiz; Editing by Lincoln Feast)