Indonesia nickel makers trim battery-feed output as sulphur squeeze bites
Geopolitics · Kitco ·
Indonesian nickel processors have cut output by at least 10% due to a sulphur shortage caused by disruptions stemming from the Middle East conflict, which supplies 75-80% of Indonesia's sulphur needs. Sulphur prices have surged from around $500 to over $800 per metric ton, squeezing margins at HPAL facilities that produce battery-grade nickel for electric vehicles. The supply crunch threatens to tighten the global battery materials market at a time when EV demand continues to grow.