PT Ceria Nugraha Indotama's (Ceria Group) nickel smelter has finally started producing green nickel and will continue construction of the smelter with a capacity of 252,800 tons per year.

The Red and White Smelter owned by PT Ceria, located in Wolo, Kolaka Regency, has succeeded in producing ferronickel for the first time, which is a major commitment towards a sustainable industry based on Environmental, Social, and Governance ( ESG ).

Ceria Group CEO Derian Sakmiwata said that the monumental achievement with the smelter's Project Commercial Operation Date (PCOD) target which has been running on time, strengthens Indonesia's position as a pioneer in the development of an ESG-based green nickel industry.

Ferronickel (FeNi) is a strategic material for the world industry, being the backbone of stainless steel manufacturing and the main material for electric vehicle (EV) components.

"At this special moment, Smelter Merah Putih has successfully produced its first ferronickel. Through technological innovation, PT Ceria ensures that the ferronickel produced is not only of high quality, but also carries a mission of sustainability," he explained, quoted Monday (4/28/2025).

Derian emphasized that this initial production is just the beginning. PT Ceria is ready to continue the construction of RKEF Line 2, Line 3, and Line 4, targeting a total production capacity of 252,800 tons of ferronickel per year.

PT Ceria will also develop a Nickel Matte Converter, Nickel Sulphate Plant, and High Pressure Acid Leach (HPAL) Plant to produce Mixed Hydroxide Precipitate (MHP) — a key material for global electric vehicle batteries.

"PT Ceria has sparked revival and a spirit of change to push Indonesia more quickly into the era of global green industry, strengthening its position as a world leader in the clean energy supply chain," explained Derian.

With this first ferronickel production, PT Ceria confirms that a new era of the green nickel industry has officially begun.

General Manager of RKEF Operation Readiness PT Ceria, Roimon Barus explained that the Merah Putih Ceria smelter adopted Rotary Kiln Electric Furnace (RKEF) technology with a capacity of 72 MVA to produce 63,200 tons of ferronickel per year or around 13,900 tons of nickel metal.

This smelter also uses a Rectangular Electric Furnace, a rectangular furnace design that is able to retain heat longer, increase energy efficiency, and significantly reduce exhaust emissions.

"All production processes are supported by green energy from PLN UID Sulselrabar which is certified with Renewable Energy Certificate [REC], making the Merah Putih Smelter one of the nickel industrial facilities with the lowest carbon footprint in Indonesia," he explained.

Roimon continued, PT Ceria is not only talking about production, but also about the green transition. Ferronickel products from the Merah Putih Smelter are developed into green nickel products — nickel products that are processed with sustainability principles at every stage starting from the use of clean energy, controlled emissions, waste management based on reduce-reuse-recycle, to real-time environmental monitoring.

"Green nickel is no longer a future concept. This product will be the main raw material to support the growth of the global electric vehicle industry and new renewable energy," he said.

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