Nickel Industries (ASX:NIC) has been bestowed, by the Indonesian Government, the highest sustainability score for its environmental practices at its Hengjaya mine on the east coast of Central Sulawesi.
The recognition was published in the Indonesian Ministry of Environment and Forestry’s (KLHK) PROPER Book of 2023.
Nickel Industries, which has a market capitalisation of around $3.7 billion, is committed to sustainable mining and net zero emissions by 2050.
Managing Director Justin Werner says being recognised for having the highest score in the nickel mining sector, alongside being one of only two nickel mining companies in Indonesia, highlights the company’s position as a sustainable and responsible operation.
“We are proudly taking a leadership role in initiatives such as participation in Indonesia’s largest solar project (a 200 megawatt peak + 20 megawatt hour battery energy storage system), the first successful trial of an electric vehicle (EV) truck fleet in Indonesia and the rehabilitation of more than 2,000 hectares of degraded watershed area in Central Sulawesi, where more than two million trees have been planted since 2019,” Werner says.
Werner says Nickel Industries is targeting its Excelsior High Pressure Acid Leach Project — which is fully funded and under construction — to be one of the lowest carbon intensive nickel producers globally.
The company aims to provide full traceability to investors and partners from mine to final product.
“It signifies our ability to manage sustainability-related risks effectively and capitalise on opportunities that benefit both our company and society at large,” Werner adds.
Nickel Industries has also been recognised in the past, and was one of two Indonesian mining companies to be invited to present at the COP28 climate summit in Dubai.
In June 2023, the company’s 80% owned Hengjaya mine was awarded the ‘Most Promising Transition Award’ at the ESG World Summit and GRIT Awards 2023 in Bangkok.
The mine covers a 5,983-hectare area and is one of the only large-tonnage saprolite mines in close proximity to Tsinghan’s Indonesian Morowali Industrial Park.
The company says the mine received the award due to its leadership in transforming the business operations to contribute towards sustainability and its several initiatives to minimise the impacts of operations on the environment.
Nickel Industries, headquartered in Sydney, is focused on becoming a global leader in low-cost nickel production and has two assets in Indonesia.
Write to Aaliyah Rogan at Mining.com.au
Images: Nickel Industries
