Posted on 09 Jun 2020
Official information from Zhenshi Group shows that the company's Indonesian ferronickel project has started production at the Weda Bay Industrial Park, Kallanish notes.
For now, the project’s first electric furnace has started operation. Overall construction is planned in two phases. The first involves a total investment of $5 billion, including 12 nickel smelting lines, one hydrometallurgical nickel plant, three coal-fired power plants and three large shipping terminals. The project, led by China's Tsingshan Group, is now also a joint venture between Zhenshi Group, Tsingshan Group and Zhejiang Huayou.
According to Zhenshi Group, the commissioned capacity of this ferronickel project in 2020 will be 300,000 tonnes/year. Earlier news indicated total capacity would be around 900,000 t/y, with contained nickel potentially reaching 90,000-180,000 t/y (see Kallanish passim). After the completion of the project, this industrial park would become a major producer of nickel laterite ore and nickel semi-finished products, as well as new energy battery materials.
