Bernardus Irmanto, CEO of Vale Indonesia, recently said publicly that negative campaigns targeting Indonesia's nickel industry could lead international markets to shun the country's nickel, repeating the fate of Congolese cobalt. He made the remarks at the 2026 Indonesia Critical Mineral Conference and Exhibition in Jakarta.
Bernardus Irmanto noted that discussions in the global nickel sector are increasingly influenced by environmental, social, and governance (ESG) factors. If negative perceptions around Indonesian nickel continue to grow, buyers may gradually reduce their reliance on the country's supply. He warned that the industry must remain highly vigilant to avoid Indonesian nickel falling into the same situation as cobalt from the Democratic Republic of Congo. Congo's cobalt has faced widespread international criticism over child labor, weak rights protections, and environmental issues, leading some buyers and investors to seek alternative sources.
He argued that Indonesia's nickel industry needs to work together to safeguard its reputation, ensuring that its development path meets sustainability standards and preventing global markets from forming a negative image of Indonesian nickel. Despite the challenges, nickel remains irreplaceable in the global energy transition, particularly in electric vehicle batteries and stainless steel. Industry players, therefore, should join hands to improve governance and transparency.
Bernardus Irmanto also stressed that Indonesia holds substantial and globally significant nickel reserves and should use that advantage to promote responsible mining development rather than falling into an unfavorable narrative.
Written by Cora Ji, jiruyan@mysteel.com
