Eramet and Huayou Explore EV Nickel Partnership in Indonesia

  • French miner considers taking stake in Huayou’s nickel plant
  • Eramet canceled a deal with BASF to build similar plant

A nickel mining site on Obi Island, North Maluku, Indonesia.

Photographer: Dimas Ardian/Bloomberg
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French miner Eramet SA is exploring a partnership with Zhejiang Huayou Cobalt Co. to produce battery-grade nickel in Indonesia after a similar project with a European partner fell through last month.

Eramet is in talks for an ore supply agreement to a high-pressure acid leach (HPAL) plant run by the Chinese firm in the Indonesia Weda Bay Industrial Park, according to people familiar with the matter. Eramet is also considering taking a stake in the Huafei plant controlled by Huayou, which is the world’s largest HPAL facility, one of the people said.