Product
The main products of Harita Nickel (PT Trimegah Bangun Persada Tbk) are laterite nickel ore, which consists of limonite and saprolite ore. Limonite ore typically contains 0.8%–1.2% nickel, in natural deposits located closer to the earth's surface. Through our subsidiary, PT Halmahera Persada Lygend, we operate the first high-pressure acid leaching (HPAL) facility in Indonesia, which processes limonite ore into mixed hydroxide precipitate (MHP) and then further refines this product into nickel sulfate, cobalt sulfate, and, most recently, electrolytic cobalt. These materials are key raw inputs for nickel-based lithium-ion battery cathodes.
Beneath the limonite zone are deposits of saprolite ore, which typically have higher nickel content than limonite ore. PT Megah Surya Pertiwi and PT Halmahera Jaya Feronikel, both subsidiaries of Harita Nickel, operate nickel smelters on Obi Island that process saprolite ore into ferronickel, which can then be further processed into stainless steel.
Saprolite Ore
Saprolite nickel ore is a type of nickel ore formed in the lower layers of laterite after millions of years of weathering of ultramafic rocks. This ore typically has a high nickel content, ranging from 1.5% to 3%, and contains less iron.
Saprolite is usually green to gray in color, with a softer texture, and rich in magnesium silicate minerals. Due to its high nickel content, saprolite can be processed using pyrometallurgical methods like the Rotary Kiln Electric Furnace (RKEF) to produce ferronickel, a key raw material for stainless steel.