Indonesia is considering implementing deep cuts to the nickel mining quota primarily to support the falling prices of the battery metal, ING’s commodity analysts Ewa Manthey and Warren Patterson note.

Nickel prices are under pressure

“The Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry is said to be planning to restrict the amount of nickel ore allowed to be mined to 150mt in 2025, sharply down from 272mt this year. However, the discussions about the size of the potential reduction are still ongoing with the government. Rising supply from Indonesia and slower-than-expected demand growth have been weighing on nickel prices.”

“However, the announcement failed to offer any immediate support to LME nickel with prices falling to their lowest since November 2020 yesterday, as market participants continue to focus on the broader weakness in risk assets.”

“In zinc, market reports suggest that Toho Zinc Co. located in Japan will shut down its unprofitable zinc smelting business by the year-end, as ore-processing fees continue to hover near multi-year lows. The Japanese company is also withdrawing from mining investments following a “significant loss” in the mineral resources division.”