Indonesia unit is exploring construction of a high-pressure acid leaching plant with an estimated cost of 30T rupiah (~$1.9B), Indonesia Investment Minister Bahlil Lahadalia told Reuters on Monday.
The plant, named “SOA HPAL,” will be Vale’s (VALE) third such project to turn nickel ore into mixed hydroxide precipitate, a material used to make electric vehicle batteries, Lahadalia said.
The plant could have an annual production capacity of 60K metric tons of nickel in MHP, the ministry said, adding Vale Indonesia (VALE) expects to partner with automakers.
Vale (VALE) already has two HPAL plants under construction at Indonesia’s Sulawesi Island, in Pomalaa and Sorowako; U.S. automaker Ford is involved in the $4.5B Pomalaa plant.