How Indonesia cornered the nickel market episode artwork

EPISODE · Jun 11, 2025 · 24 MIN

How Indonesia cornered the nickel market

from Behind the Money

A decade ago, Indonesia produced only 6% of the world’s supply of refined nickel. Now, it has a de facto monopoly on the market. How did it happen? The FT’s Jakarta correspondent A. Anantha Lakshmi and FT’s commodities correspondent Camilla Hodgson examine what propelled this explosive growth and how China helped it happen. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - For further reading:‘The Opec of nickel’: Indonesia’s control of a critical metal‘Production first, safety later’: inside the world’s largest nickel siteWestern miner Eramet sees no profits in nickel processing without Chinese partners- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Follow A. Anantha Lakshmi and Camilla Hodgson on X (@AnanthalakshmiA) (@CamillaHodgson). Michela Tindera is on X (@mtindera07) and Bluesky (@mtindera.ft.com), or follow her on LinkedIn for updates about the show and more.Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A decade ago, Indonesia produced only 6% of the world’s supply of refined nickel. Now, it has a de facto monopoly on the market. How did it happen? The FT’s Jakarta correspondent A. Anantha Lakshmi and FT’s commodities correspondent Camilla Hodgson examine what propelled this explosive growth and how China helped it happen. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - For further reading:‘The Opec of nickel’: Indonesia’s control of a critical metal‘Production first, safety later’: inside the world’s largest nickel siteWestern miner Eramet sees no profits in nickel processing without Chinese partners- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Follow A. Anantha Lakshmi and Camilla Hodgson on X (@AnanthalakshmiA) (@CamillaHodgson). Michela Tindera is on X (@mtindera07) and Bluesky (@mtindera.ft.com), or follow her on LinkedIn for updates about the show and more.Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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How Indonesia cornered the nickel market

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This episode was published on June 11, 2025.

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A decade ago, Indonesia produced only 6% of the world’s supply of refined nickel. Now, it has a de facto monopoly on the market. How did it happen? The FT’s Jakarta correspondent A. Anantha Lakshmi and FT’s commodities correspondent Camilla Hodgson...

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