MANILA, Sept 2 (Reuters) - Philippine nickel miners are
expected to boost ore production next year when Indonesia bans
exports of the raw material used in stainless steel and
batteries, the head of the local nickel miners' lobby group told
Reuters on Monday.
"This supposed export ban from Indonesia will boost
production from the local miners, particularly next year once it
takes effect simultaneous with the start of the mining season,"
Dante Bravo, president of the Philippine Nickel Industry
Association, said.
He noted Indonesian ore was generally of a higher grade than
ore from the Philippines.
"However, Chinese smelters have been able to process our
lower grade ores, so supply of lower grade ores coming from the
Philippines is not an issue," said Bravo, who is also president
of Global Ferronickel Holdings Inc FNI.PS , the Philippines'
No. 2 nickel ore producer and exporter.
Indonesia's Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Ignasius
Jonan said he has signed a new regulation on restricting ore
exports, according to a voice recording verified by a ministry
spokesman, sending nickel prices soaring on Friday.
Jonan, speaking to journalists in Yogyakarta, said nickel
ore exports will be allowed until end-December.