Latest news with #nickel
National Post
8 hours ago
- Business
- National Post
Leading Independent Proxy Advisor ISS Recommends Sherritt Shareholders Vote FOR All Resolutions and Director Nominees
Article content Article content Warning: Self-interested shareholder SC2 Inc., an affiliate of Seablinc Canada Inc., a supplier to the Moa JV, seeks control of Sherritt for its own gain, without a credible plan or a premium, risking the Corporation's financial stability and strategic goals Sherritt's Board urges shareholders to vote FOR all resolutions and nominees well in advance of the proxy voting deadline on Friday, June 6, 2025, at 10:00 a.m. (Eastern Time) For assistance voting, contact Kingsdale Advisors at 1-866-229-8263 (toll-free in North America) or (437) 561-5030 (text and collect calls outside of North America) or at contactus@ For more detailed information, including a letter to shareholders from Sherritt's Board Chairman, please visit TORONTO — Sherritt International Corporation ('Sherritt' or the 'Corporation') (TSX:S), a world leader in using hydrometallurgical processes to mine and refine nickel and cobalt – metals deemed critical for the energy transition – today reported that Institutional Shareholder Services Inc. ('ISS') has recommended that shareholders vote FOR all resolutions and director nominees ahead of the upcoming Annual and Special Meeting of Shareholders. Article content ISS is a leading independent proxy advisor, who carefully reviews the information regarding upcoming shareholder meetings and then makes a voting recommendation. ISS is the second leading independent proxy advisor to recommend that shareholders vote FOR all resolutions. Glass, Lewis & Co. LLC previously recommended shareholders vote FOR all resolutions, recognizing the significant progress Sherritt has made under its current Board and management team. Article content SC2 Inc. ('SC2') has publicly stated its intent to withhold support for all incumbent director nominees. However, SC2 is far from a typical shareholder. It was created to obscure the fact that Seablinc Canada Inc. ('Seablinc'), a significant supplier to Sherritt's Moa Joint Venture, is behind its campaign to remove and replace the Corporation's incumbent directors. SC2's actions appear to be the first step in Seablinc's broader agenda to secure a more lucrative supplier arrangement with the Moa Joint Venture, prioritizing its own commercial interests over the long-term success of the Corporation. Article content Adding to the concern, SC2 has entered into an agreement with a third party that has the effect of limiting its upside on nearly 75% of its Sherritt shares. Under this agreement, SC2 granted an irrevocable option for a third party to acquire up to 30,000,000 of its Sherritt shares at a fixed price of $0.17 per share between August 1, 2025, and May 1, 2026. This arrangement demonstrates that SC2 has effectively borrowed shares to gain influence without a long-term commitment to Sherritt. Article content Such short-term, opportunistic behavior is misaligned with the interests of Sherritt's broader shareholder base and is a risk to the Corporation's financial stability and strategic goals. In a detailed letter, Sherritt exposes SC2's motives and underscores the critical importance of voting FOR all resolutions to protect the Corporation's future and sustain its strategic momentum. Shareholders can access the full letter at Article content Time is short. Sherritt's Board urges shareholders to vote FOR all resolutions and nominees in advance of the proxy voting deadline on Friday, June 6, 2025, at 10:00 a.m. (Eastern Time). Article content Shareholders requiring assistance with voting are encouraged to contact Sherritt's strategic shareholder advisor and proxy solicitation agent, Kingsdale Advisors, at: Article content Sherritt is a world leader in using hydrometallurgical processes to mine and refine nickel and cobalt – metals deemed critical for the energy transition. Sherritt's Moa Joint Venture has an estimated mine life of approximately 25 years and is advancing an expansion program focused on increasing annual MSP production by 20% of contained nickel and cobalt. The Corporation's Power division, through its ownership in Energas, is the largest independent energy producer in Cuba with installed electrical generating capacity of 506 MW, representing approximately 10% of the national electrical generating capacity in Cuba. The Energas facilities are comprised of two combined cycle plants that produce low-cost electricity from one of the lowest carbon emitting sources of power in Cuba. Sherritt's common shares are listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol 'S'. Article content This press release contains certain forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements can generally be identified by the use of statements that include such words as 'believe', 'expect', 'anticipate', 'intend', 'plan', 'forecast', 'likely', 'may', 'will', 'could', 'should', 'suspect', 'outlook', 'potential', 'projected', 'continue' or other similar words or phrases. Specifically, forward-looking statements in this document include, but are not limited to, statements regarding strategies, plans and estimated production amounts resulting from expansion of mining operations at the Moa JV and dividend growth from the Power division. Article content Forward-looking statements are not based on historical facts, but rather on current expectations, assumptions and projections about future events, including commodity and product prices and demand; the level of liquidity and access to funding; share price volatility; nickel, cobalt and fertilizer production results and realized prices; current and future demand products produced by Sherritt; global demand for electric vehicles and the anticipated corresponding demand for cobalt and nickel; revenues and net operating results; environmental risks and liabilities; compliance with applicable environmental laws and regulations; advancements in environmental and greenhouse gas ('GHG') reduction technology; GHG emissions reduction goals and the anticipated timing of achieving such goals, if at all; statistics and metrics relating to Environmental, Social and Governance ('ESG') matters which are based on assumptions or developing standards; environmental rehabilitation provisions; risks related to the U.S. government policy toward Cuba; current and future economic conditions in Cuba; the level of liquidity and access to funding; Sherritt share price volatility; and certain corporate objectives, goals and plans for 2025. By their nature, forward-looking statements require the Corporation to make assumptions and are subject to inherent risks and uncertainties. There is significant risk that predictions, forecasts, conclusions or projections will not prove to be accurate, that the assumptions may not be correct and that actual results may differ materially from such predictions, forecasts, conclusions or projections. Article content The Corporation cautions readers of this press release not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking statement as a number of factors could cause actual future results, conditions, actions or events to differ materially from the targets, expectations, estimates or intentions expressed in the forward-looking statements. These risks, uncertainties and other factors include, but are not limited to, commodity risks related to the production and sale of nickel cobalt and fertilizers; security market fluctuations and price volatility; level of liquidity of Sherritt, including access to capital and financing; the ability of the Moa JV to pay dividends; the risk to Sherritt's entitlements to future distributions (including pursuant to the Cobalt Swap) from the Moa JV; risks related to Sherritt's operations in Cuba; risks related to the U.S. government policy toward Cuba, including the U.S. embargo on Cuba and the Helms-Burton legislation; political, economic and other risks of foreign operations, including the impact of geopolitical events on global prices for nickel, cobalt, fertilizers, or certain other commodities; uncertainty in the ability of the Corporation to enforce legal rights in foreign jurisdictions; uncertainty regarding the interpretation and/or application of the applicable laws in foreign jurisdictions; risk of future non-compliance with debt restrictions and covenants; risks related to environmental liabilities including liability for reclamation costs, tailings facility failures and toxic gas releases; compliance with applicable environment, health and safety legislation and other associated matters; risks associated with governmental regulations regarding climate change and greenhouse gas emissions; risks relating to community relations; maintaining social license to grow and operate; uncertainty about the pace of technological advancements required in relation to achieving ESG targets; risks to information technologies systems and cybersecurity; risks associated with the operation of large projects generally; risks related to the accuracy of capital and operating cost estimates; the possibility of equipment and other failure; potential interruptions in transportation; identification and management of growth opportunities; the ability to replace depleted mineral reserves; risks associated with the Corporation's joint venture partners; variability in production at Sherritt's operations in Cuba; risks associated with mining, processing and refining activities; risks associated with the operation of large projects generally; risks related to the accuracy of capital and operating cost estimates; the possibility of equipment and other failures; uncertainty of gas supply for electrical generation; reliance on key personnel and skilled workers; growth opportunity risks; uncertainty of resources and reserve estimates; the potential for shortages of equipment and supplies, including diesel; supplies quality issues; risks related to the Corporation's corporate structure; foreign exchange and pricing risks; credit risks; competition in product markets; future market access; interest rate changes; risks in obtaining insurance; uncertainties in labour relations; legal contingencies; risks related to the Corporation's accounting policies; uncertainty in the ability of the Corporation to obtain government permits; failure to comply with, or changes to, applicable government regulations; bribery and corruption risks, including failure to comply with the Corruption of Foreign Public Officials Act or applicable local anti-corruption law; the ability to accomplish corporate objectives, goals and plans for 2025; and the ability to meet other factors listed from time to time in the Corporation's continuous disclosure documents. Article content The Corporation, together with its Moa JV, is pursuing a range of growth and expansion opportunities, including without limitation, process technology solutions, development projects, commercial implementation opportunities, life of mine extension opportunities and the conversion of mineral resources to reserves. In addition to the risks noted above, factors that could, alone or in combination, prevent the Corporation from successfully achieving these opportunities may include, without limitation: identifying suitable commercialization and other partners; successfully advancing discussions and successfully concluding applicable agreements with external parties and/or partners; successfully attracting required financing; successfully developing and proving technology required for the potential opportunity; successfully overcoming technical and technological challenges; successful environmental assessment and stakeholder engagement; successfully obtaining intellectual property protection; successfully completing test work and engineering studies, prefeasibility and feasibility studies, piloting, scaling from small scale to large scale production, procurement, construction, commissioning, ramp-up to commercial scale production and completion; and securing regulatory and government approvals. There can be no assurance that any opportunity will be successful, commercially viable, completed on time or on budget, or will generate any meaningful revenues, savings or earnings, as the case may be, for the Corporation. In addition, the Corporation will incur costs in pursuing any particular opportunity, which may be significant. Article content Readers are cautioned that the foregoing list of factors is not exhaustive and should be considered in conjunction with the risk factors described in the Corporation's other documents filed with the Canadian securities authorities, including without limitation the 'Managing Risk' section of the Management's Discussion and Analysis for the three months ended March 31, 2025 and the Annual Information Form of the Corporation dated March 24, 2025 for the period ending December 31, 2024, which is available on SEDAR+ at Article content The Corporation may, from time to time, make oral forward-looking statements. The Corporation advises that the above paragraph and the risk factors described in this press release and in the Corporation's other documents filed with the Canadian securities authorities should be read for a description of certain factors that could cause the actual results of the Corporation to differ materially from those in the oral forward-looking statements. The forward-looking information and statements contained in this press release are made as of the date hereof and the Corporation undertakes no obligation to update publicly or revise any oral or written forward-looking information or statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable securities laws. The forward-looking information and statements contained herein are expressly qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement. Article content Article content Article content Article content Contacts Article content For more information, please contact: Article content FGS Longview (Media Contact) Email: sherritt@ Article content Article content Article content
Reuters
18 hours ago
- Business
- Reuters
Exclusive: Miner Vale misses deadline for power to expand Brazil nickel complex
SAO PAULO/RIO DE JANEIRO, May 30 (Reuters) - Brazilian power grid operator ONS told Reuters it denied miner Vale's ( opens new tab request to increase power consumption at its northern Onca Puma nickel complex, after missing a deadline to confirm the bid. The denial comes as Vale prepares to start up a second furnace at Onca Puma, a $555 million expansion that should help the miner boost nickel production in coming years. Vale told Reuters that despite the denied request it was maintaining its outlook to start operating the new furnace in the second half of this year. The miner plans to raise its global nickel production to as much as 250,000 metric tons in 2030, from around 160,000 tons last year. The second furnace in Onca Puma is expected to add annual output of 15,200 tons. ONS documents seen by Reuters showed Vale in late 2023 asked to increase power consumption at Onca Puma to 200 megawatts at the start of this year. Over the past year, ONS issued documents attesting to the viability of the power consumption increase at Onca Puma, but ONS said Vale did not sign a contract within the stipulated deadline. Vale filed a new request with ONS in February, ONS said, asking for the power consumption increase at Onca Puma to start in June. The request, however, was denied by the national grid operator, which said the additional power had been allocated to another project in its pipeline. Vale told Reuters it is evaluating "technical alternatives" with ONS to enable the approval of its request for the Onca Puma expansion. The miner said it expects to resolve the issue soon. The nominal nickel capacity at Vale's Onca Puma is currently around 27,000 tons per year. The complex accounted for around 10% of Vale's total nickel production last year.
Bloomberg
a day ago
- Business
- Bloomberg
Nickel Giant Tsingshan Cuts Indonesian Stainless Steel Output
The world's biggest maker of stainless steel has suspended some production lines in Indonesia, in a bid to support prices as sluggish demand and trade uncertainty weigh on the market. China's Tsingshan Holding Group Co., also the top producer of nickel that's used in the alloy, halted some stainless steel output earlier this month at the Indonesia Morowali Industrial Park on the island of Sulawesi, according to people familiar with the matter. The move is likely to support stainless prices, while pressuring the nickel market. Both hit five-year lows in April.
Malay Mail
3 days ago
- Business
- Malay Mail
‘This is our land': Indonesia's last forest tribe fights for survival as EV nickel rush devours their home
LELILEF SAWAI, May 28 — Sitting deep in east Indonesia's lush jungle, Bokum, one of the country's last isolated hunter-gatherers, has a simple message for the nickel miners threatening his home: 'This is our land.' He belongs to the Hongana Manyawa Indigenous tribe, which includes around 3,000 'contacted' members like him, and another 500 who reject contact with the modern world. Their home on Halmahera Island was once a breathtaking kaleidoscope of nature that provided sanctuary and sustenance. But it is being eaten away by the world's largest nickel mine, as Indonesia exploits vast reserves of the metal used in everything from electric vehicles to stainless steel. 'I'm worried if they keep destroying the forest,' Bokum told AFP in a clearing in central Halmahera. 'We have no idea how to survive without our home and food.' The plight of the Hongana Manyawa, or 'People of the Forest', started gaining attention in Indonesia last year after a video widely shared on Facebook showed emaciated, uncontacted members emerging from their rapidly changing forest home to beg for food. But the remote region — about 1,500 miles (2,414 kilometres) from capital Jakarta — mostly remains far from the public consciousness. AFP travelled into the Halmahera jungle to see how the sprawling Weda Bay Nickel concession has affected the once-pristine tribal lands that the Hongana Manyawa call home. During a three-day, 36-kilometre (22-mile) trek across parts of the 45,000-hectare concession, the mining operation's impacts were starkly clear. Booms from controlled explosions to expose nickel shook birds from trees, while helicopters buzzing overhead shared the skies with green parrots, Moluccan owls, hornbills and giant bees. Tree stumps provided evidence of logging, and off-duty mine guards were seen hunting tropical birds with air guns. Throughout the night, the sound of excavators scratching the topsoil penetrated the thick vegetation, competing with frog calls and the drone of insects. Mud that locals say is stirred up by mining has stained rivers copper, and the water leaves skin irritated. Ngigoro, 62, an elder of the Hongana Manyawa indigenous tribe who left the forest and now lives in a village with his mother. — AFP pic In 22 river crossings, only a few fish were visible. Tribe members say they have mostly disappeared. AFP did not seek to meet uncontacted Hongana Manyawa. Bokum emerged from isolation earlier in his life, but still has very limited contact with the outside world. He and his wife Nawate agreed to meet AFP around 45 minutes from his home deeper in the jungle. But he could not stay long: en route, he spotted miners and wanted to return to ward them off. 'The company workers have been trying to map our territory,' he told AFP, wearing a black cowboy hat, shirt and rolled-up jeans. 'It's our home and we will not give it to them.' 'Prevent their annihilation' Indonesia's constitution enshrines Indigenous land rights, and a 2013 Constitutional Court ruling promised to give local communities greater control of their customary forests. But environmental groups say the law is not well enforced. With no land titles, the Hongana Manyawa have little chance of asserting their claims to stewardship of forest that overlaps with Weda Bay's concession. According to Weda Bay Nickel (WBN), its mine on Indonesia's Maluku islands accounted for 17 percent of global nickel production in 2023, making it the largest in the world. WBN is a joint venture of Indonesia's Antam and Singapore-based Strand Minerals, with shares divided between French mining giant Eramet and Chinese steel major Tsingshan. WBN told AFP it is 'committed to responsible mining and protecting the environment', and trains employees to 'respect local customs and traditions'. It said there is 'no evidence that uncontacted or isolated groups are being impacted by WBN's operations'. This photo taken on April 13, 2025 shows smoke rising from Weda Bay Industrial Park (WBIP), a major nickel processing and smelting hub, forming a manmade cloud in Central Halmahera, North Maluku. — AFP pic Eramet told AFP it has requested permission from WBN's majority shareholders for an independent review of 'engagement protocols' with Hongana Manyawa, expected this year. Further review of how the tribe uses the area's forests and rivers is also underway, it added, though it said there was currently 'no evidence' of members living in isolation in its concession. The Indonesian government, which acknowledges most of the concession was previously protected forest, told AFP otherwise. There is 'recognition of evidence of the existence of isolated tribes around Weda Bay', said the directorate general of coal and minerals at Indonesia's energy ministry. It said it was committed to 'protecting the rights of Indigenous peoples and ensuring that mining activities do not damage their lives and environment'. Indigenous rights NGO Survival International said that was Jakarta's first acknowledgement of uncontacted, or 'isolated', Hongana Manyawa in the area. It called the admission a 'hammer blow' to Eramet's claims and said a no-go area to protect the tribe was 'the only way to prevent their annihilation'. Both WBN and Eramet said they work to minimise impact on the environment. Eramet's new CEO will be in Indonesia this week, seeking permission to expand the mine's capacity. Tsingshan and Antam did not respond to AFP requests for comment. Bokum said mining has driven away the wild pigs, deer and fish he once caught for food. Now, he looks for shrimp and frogs in less-affected smaller streams. 'Since the company destroyed our home, our forest, we've been struggling to hunt, to find clean water,' he said in the Indigenous Tobelo language. 'If they keep destroying our forest we cannot drink clean water again.' 'Go away' Nickel is central to Indonesia's growth strategy. It banned ore exports in 2020 to capture more of the value chain. The country is both the world's largest producer, and home to the biggest-known reserves. This aerial photo taken on April 16, 2025 shows a general view of a nickel mining site and the edge of the forest where Bokum, a member of the Hongana Manyawa indigenous tribe, regularly patrols to monitor mining activity in East Halmahera, North Maluku. — AFP pic Mining — dominated by coal and nickel — represented nearly nine per cent of its GDP in the first quarter of 2025, government data shows. Nickel mined in the Halmahera concession is processed at the Weda Bay Industrial Park. Since operations began in 2019, the area has transformed rapidly, into what some call a 'Wild West'. At a checkpoint near the industrial park, men stopped AFP to demand cash and forced their vehicle to move elsewhere, before a local government official intervened. The towns on the mine edge — Lelilef Sawai, Gemaf and Sagea — form a chaotic frontier. Employees in hard hats crisscross muddy roads that back up with rush-hour traffic. Shops catering to labourers line the roadside, along with prostitutes looking for business in front of bed bug-infested hostels. The mining workforce has more than doubled since 2020 to nearly 30,000 people. Locals say these are mostly outsiders whose arrival has sparked tensions and coincided with rising cases of respiratory illness and HIV/AIDS. Smelter towers belch a manmade cloud visible from kilometres away. 'Mining companies have not implemented good practices, have violated human rights and there is rarely any evaluation,' said Adlun Fiqri, spokesman for the Save Sagea campaign group. Inside the jungle, a similar story is playing out, said Hongana Manyawa member Ngigoro, who emerged from the uncontacted as a child. 'Long before the mining, it was really quiet and good to live in the forest,' said the 62-year-old, as he marked his route by slicing pock-marks into trees with his machete. He remains at ease in the forest, using reeds for shade and bamboo shoots to boil water. 'There was no destruction. They were not afraid of anything,' he said. He climbed nimbly down a steep slope by clinging to tree roots before crossing a riverbed peppered with garnierite — green nickel ore. 'This land belongs to the Hongana Manyawa,' he said. 'They existed living in the rainforest before even the state existed. So go away.' That sentiment echoes elsewhere on Halmahera. At least 11 Indigenous people were recently arrested for protesting mining activity in the island's east, Amnesty International said Monday. 'We will not give our consent' Despite their 'contacted' status, Bokum and Nawate have rarely met outsiders. They approached haltingly, with Nawate refusing to speak at all, instead surveying her visitors with a cautious smile. Bokum described moving at least six times to outrun encroaching miners. Bokum and his wife Nawate, members of the Hongana Manyawa indigenous tribe, walking through their cassava field in East Halmahera, North Maluku. — AFP pic NGOs fear the mine operation risks wiping out the tribe. 'They rely entirely on what nature provides for them to survive and as their rainforest is being devastated so too are they,' said Callum Russell, Asia research and advocacy officer at Survival International. 'Any contact with workers in the forest runs the risk of exposing them to deadly diseases to which they have little to no immunity.' The government told AFP it has 'conducted documentation' to understand isolated tribes near Weda Bay, and involved them 'in the decision-making process'. Activists say this is impossible given most of the group do not use modern technology and limit contact with outsiders. Amid growing scrutiny, there have been rumblings of support for the tribe, including from some senior politicians. Tesla, which has signed deals to invest in Indonesian nickel, has mooted no-go zones to protect Indigenous peoples. And Swedish EV company Polestar last year said it would seek to avoid compromising 'uncontacted tribes' in its supply chain. For Bokum however, the problem is already on his doorstep. A 2.5-kilometre-long (1.5 miles) open pit lies just over the hill from a plot where he grows pineapple and cassava. Bokum and Nawate received mobile phones from mine workers—in an unsuccessful attempt to convince them to approve mining operations. They and other tribe members use numerical codes to identify contacts and make calls. They must approach the concession to pick up signal, but when mine workers near his home, Bokum wields his machete to scare them off. 'This is our land. Our home,' he said. 'We will not give our consent to destroy it.' — AFP
Japan Times
3 days ago
- Business
- Japan Times
Nickel rush for stainless steel guts Indonesia tribe's forest home
Sitting deep in east Indonesia's lush jungle, Bokum, one of the country's last isolated hunter-gatherers, has a simple message for the nickel miners threatening his home: "This is our land." He belongs to the Hongana Manyawa Indigenous tribe, which includes around 3,000 "contacted" members like him, and another 500 who reject contact with the modern world. Their home on Halmahera Island was once a breathtaking kaleidoscope of nature that provided sanctuary and sustenance. But it is being eaten away by the world's largest nickel mine, as Indonesia exploits vast reserves of the metal used in everything from electric vehicles to stainless steel. "I'm worried if they keep destroying the forest," Bokum said in a clearing in central Halmahera. "We have no idea how to survive without our home and food." The plight of the Hongana Manyawa, or "People of the Forest," started gaining attention in Indonesia last year after a video widely shared on Facebook showed emaciated, uncontacted members emerging from their rapidly changing forest home to beg for food. But the remote region — about 2,414 kilometers from capital Jakarta — mostly remains far from the public consciousness. AFP traveled into the Halmahera jungle to see how the sprawling Weda Bay Nickel concession has affected the once-pristine tribal lands that the Hongana Manyawa call home. During a three-day, 36-kilometer trek across parts of the 45,000-hectare concession, the mining operation's impacts were starkly clear. Smoke rises from WBIP, a major nickel processing and smelting hub, in Lelilef Sawai, Central Halmahera, North Maluku, Indonesia, on April 18. | AFP-JIJI Booms from controlled explosions to expose nickel shook birds from trees, while helicopters buzzing overhead shared the skies with green parrots, Moluccan owls, hornbills and giant bees. Tree stumps provided evidence of logging, and off-duty mine guards were seen hunting tropical birds with air guns. Throughout the night, the sound of excavators scratching the topsoil penetrated the thick vegetation, competing with frog calls and the drone of insects. Mud that locals say is stirred up by mining has stained rivers copper, and the water leaves the skin irritated. In 22 river crossings, only a few fish were visible. Tribe members say they have mostly disappeared. AFP did not seek to meet uncontacted Hongana Manyawa. Bokum emerged from isolation earlier in his life but still has very limited contact with the outside world. He and his wife Nawate agreed to meet around 45 minutes from his home deeper in the jungle. But he could not stay long: en route, he spotted miners and wanted to return to ward them off. "The company workers have been trying to map our territory," he said, wearing a black cowboy hat, shirt and rolled-up jeans. "It's our home, and we will not give it to them." 'Prevent their annihilation' Indonesia's constitution enshrines Indigenous land rights, and a 2013 Constitutional Court ruling promised to give local communities greater control of their customary forests. But environmental groups say the law is not well enforced. With no land titles, the Hongana Manyawa have little chance of asserting their claims to stewardship of forest that overlaps with Weda Bay's concession. Smoke surrounds WBIP, a major nickel processing and smelting hub, forming a human-made cloud in Gemaf, Central Halmahera, North Maluku, Indonesia, on April 13. | AFP-JIJI According to Weda Bay Nickel (WBN), its mine on Indonesia's Maluku islands accounted for 17% of global nickel production in 2023, making it the largest in the world. WBN is a joint venture of Indonesia's Antam and Singapore-based Strand Minerals, with shares divided between French mining giant Eramet and Chinese steel major Tsingshan. WBN said it is "committed to responsible mining and protecting the environment," and trains employees to "respect local customs and traditions." It said there is "no evidence that uncontacted or isolated groups are being impacted by WBN's operations." Eramet said it has requested permission from WBN's majority shareholders for an independent review of "engagement protocols" with Hongana Manyawa, expected this year. Further review of how the tribe uses the area's forests and rivers is also under way, it added, though it said there was currently "no evidence" of members living in isolation in its concession. The Indonesian government, which acknowledges most of the concession was previously protected forest, said otherwise. There is "recognition of evidence of the existence of isolated tribes around Weda Bay," said the directorate general of coal and minerals at Indonesia's energy ministry. It said it was committed to "protecting the rights of Indigenous peoples and ensuring that mining activities do not damage their lives and environment." Indigenous rights nongovernmental organization Survival International said that was Jakarta's first acknowledgement of uncontacted, or "isolated," Hongana Manyawa in the area. It called the admission a "hammer blow" to Eramet's claims and said a no-go area to protect the tribe was "the only way to prevent their annihilation." Both WBN and Eramet said they work to minimize the impact on the environment. Eramet's new CEO will be in Indonesia this week, seeking permission to expand the mine's capacity. Tsingshan and Antam did not respond to requests for comment. A nickel mining site, constructed after forests were cleared, sits next to a river locals say has been contaminated by mining operations in Central Halmahera, North Maluku, Indonesia, on April 14. | AFP-JIJI Bokum said mining has driven away the wild pigs, deer and fish he once caught for food. Now, he looks for shrimp and frogs in less-affected smaller streams. "Since the company destroyed our home, our forest, we've been struggling to hunt, to find clean water," he said in the Indigenous Tobelo language. "If they keep destroying our forest, we cannot drink clean water again." 'Go away' Nickel is central to Indonesia's growth strategy. It banned ore exports in 2020 to capture more of the value chain. The country is both the world's largest producer and home to the biggest-known reserves. Mining — dominated by coal and nickel — represented nearly 9% of its GDP in the first quarter of 2025, government data shows. Nickel mined in the Halmahera concession is processed at the Weda Bay Industrial Park. Since operations began in 2019, the area has transformed rapidly, into what some call a "Wild West." At a checkpoint near the industrial park, men stopped AFP to demand cash and forced their vehicle to move elsewhere, before a local government official intervened. The towns on the mine edge — Lelilef Sawai, Gemaf and Sagea — form a chaotic frontier. Employees in hard hats crisscross muddy roads that back up with rush-hour traffic. Shops catering to laborers line the roadside, along with prostitutes looking for business in front of bed bug-infested hostels. The mining workforce has more than doubled since 2020 to nearly 30,000 people. Locals say these are mostly outsiders whose arrival has sparked tensions and coincided with rising cases of respiratory illness and HIV/AIDS. Smelter towers belch a human-made cloud visible from kilometers away. "Mining companies have not implemented good practices, have violated human rights and there is rarely any evaluation," said Adlun Fiqri, spokesperson for the Save Sagea campaign group. Inside the jungle, a similar story is playing out, said Hongana Manyawa member Ngigoro, who emerged from the uncontacted as a child. "Long before the mining, it was really quiet and good to live in the forest," said the 62-year-old, as he marked his route by slicing pock-marks into trees with his machete. He remains at ease in the forest, using reeds for shade and bamboo shoots to boil water. "There was no destruction. They were not afraid of anything," he said. He climbed nimbly down a steep slope by clinging to tree roots before crossing a riverbed peppered with garnierite — green nickel ore. "This land belongs to the Hongana Manyawa," he said. "They existed living in the rainforest before even the state existed. So go away." That sentiment echoes elsewhere on Halmahera. At least 11 Indigenous people were recently arrested for protesting mining activity in the island's east, Amnesty International said Monday. 'We will not give our consent' Despite their "contacted" status, Bokum and Nawate have rarely met outsiders. They approached haltingly, with Nawate refusing to speak at all, instead surveying her visitors with a cautious smile. Bokum described moving at least six times to outrun encroaching miners. Nongovernmental organizations fear the mine operation risks wiping out the tribe. "They rely entirely on what nature provides for them to survive, and as their rainforest is being devastated, so, too, are they," said Callum Russell, Asia research and advocacy officer at Survival International. "Any contact with workers in the forest runs the risk of exposing them to deadly diseases to which they have little to no immunity." A nickel mining site and the edge of the forest where Bokum, a member of the Hongana Manyawa indigenous tribe, regularly patrols to monitor mining activity in East Halmahera, North Maluku, Indonesia, on April 16. | AFP-JIJI The government said it has "conducted documentation" to understand isolated tribes near Weda Bay, and involved them "in the decision-making process." Activists say this is impossible given most of the group do not use modern technology and limit contact with outsiders. Amid growing scrutiny, there have been rumblings of support for the tribe, including from some senior politicians. Tesla, which has signed deals to invest in Indonesian nickel, has mooted no-go zones to protect Indigenous peoples. And Swedish EV company Polestar last year said it would seek to avoid compromising "uncontacted tribes" in its supply chain. For Bokum however, the problem is already on his doorstep. A 2.5-kilometer-long open pit lies just over the hill from a plot where he grows pineapple and cassava. Bokum and Nawate received mobile phones from mine workers — in an unsuccessful attempt to convince them to approve mining operations. They and other tribe members use numerical codes to identify contacts and make calls. They must approach the concession to pick up signal, but when mine workers near his home, Bokum wields his machete to scare them off. "This is our land. Our home," he said. "We will not give our consent to destroy it."
