Indonesian battery materials company (PT Merdeka Battery Materials Tbk, abbreviated as MBMA, a subsidiary of a copper-gold company) released its 2025 consolidated mineral resources and ore reserves report, showing significant growth in nickel ore resources and reserves, providing a solid guarantee for the company's medium- to long-term production operations. The total ore reserves at its Sulawesi Cahaya Mineral (SCM) mine increased substantially to 578.8 million wet metric tons (equivalent to 358.2 million dry metric tons), with a nickel grade of 1.23% and contained nickel metal of 4.4 million tons, a year-on-year increase of 48%. Meanwhile, the mineral resources at the SCM mine reached 1.5493 billion wet metric tons (equivalent to 958.9 million dry metric tons), containing approximately 11.8 million tons of nickel metal, further expanding the resource scale.
This surge in reserves is attributed to the company's smooth progress in subsequent exploration work, updated geological models, and optimized mine planning. The more robust reserve base provides a stable supply of nickel ore for MBMA's ongoing mine operations and downstream smelting facilities, covering the company's Rotary Kiln Electric Furnace (RKEF) smelter and High-Pressure Acid Leaching (HPAL) smelting projects. Looking ahead to 2026, MBMA has set clear production targets: saprolite nickel ore production target of 8–10 million wet metric tons, and limonite nickel ore target of 20–25 million wet metric tons. The company also plans to achieve full self-sufficiency in saprolite nickel ore for its RKEF smelter by 2026, eliminating reliance on external procurement.
These developments further strengthen MBMA's vertical integration strategy across the entire electric vehicle battery supply chain, enhancing operational flexibility and long-term economic benefits. MBMA's President Director stated that the reserve growth fully demonstrates the company's asset strength and operational stability on the ground, and the more solid resource base gives the company an advantage in ensuring sustainable operations and creating long-term value. Going forward, MBMA will continue to advance exploration work, accelerate the conversion of mineral resources into recoverable reserves, extend the mine life, support sustainable business growth, and solidify its important position in Indonesia's nickel industry and the global battery supply chain.
Indonesian battery materials company (PT Merdeka Battery Materials Tbk, abbreviated as MBMA, a subsidiary of a copper-gold company) released its 2025 consolidated mineral resources and ore reserves report, showing significant growth in nickel ore resources and reserves, providing a solid guarantee for the company's medium- to long-term production operations. The total ore reserves at its Sulawesi Cahaya Mineral (SCM) mine increased substantially to 578.8 million wet metric tons (equivalent to 358.2 million dry metric tons), with a nickel grade of 1.23% and contained nickel metal of 4.4 million tons, a year-on-year increase of 48%. Meanwhile, the mineral resources at the SCM mine reached 1.5493 billion wet metric tons (equivalent to 958.9 million dry metric tons), containing approximately 11.8 million tons of nickel metal, further expanding the resource scale.
This surge in reserves is attributed to the company's smooth progress in subsequent exploration work, updated geological models, and optimized mine planning. The more robust reserve base provides a stable supply of nickel ore for MBMA's ongoing mine operations and downstream smelting facilities, covering the company's Rotary Kiln Electric Furnace (RKEF) smelter and High-Pressure Acid Leaching (HPAL) smelting projects. Looking ahead to 2026, MBMA has set clear production targets: saprolite nickel ore production target of 8–10 million wet metric tons, and limonite nickel ore target of 20–25 million wet metric tons. The company also plans to achieve full self-sufficiency in saprolite nickel ore for its RKEF smelter by 2026, eliminating reliance on external procurement.
These developments further strengthen MBMA's vertical integration strategy across the entire electric vehicle battery supply chain, enhancing operational flexibility and long-term economic benefits. MBMA's President Director stated that the reserve growth fully demonstrates the company's asset strength and operational stability on the ground, and the more solid resource base gives the company an advantage in ensuring sustainable operations and creating long-term value. Going forward, MBMA will continue to advance exploration work, accelerate the conversion of mineral resources into recoverable reserves, extend the mine life, support sustainable business growth, and solidify its important position in Indonesia's nickel industry and the global battery supply chain.
