Nickel ore export prohibition and mapping the business performance of nickel mining companies in Indonesia

Abstract As part of its efforts towards establishing the green energy value chain internationally, Indonesia has banned the export of raw nickel since 2020. The export ban is also aimed at adding value to the nickel supply chain for the sake of nickel mining sustainability in the country. The nickel ore export prohibition has caused the European Union to file a lawsuit against the Indonesian government in violation of the World Trade Organization agreement. Instead of discussing the dispute, this study will focus on whether the export ban will impact the business performance of the nickel mining industry. Given that the country is the biggest nickel reserve on earth, this study aims to accomplish three distinct objectives: to create a thematic map of (1) nickel mining locations in Indonesia by province; (2) mining locations for the top ten nickel companies and nickel industry hubs in Indonesia; and (3) the business performance of leading nickel issuers in the country. Thematic maps are created based on Geographic Information Systems (GIS). The results show that nickel reserves are available in seven provinces; two nickel industrial hubs and ten big mining companies operate in these provinces; and these companies have sound business performance following the ore nickel export ban. Our analysis offers a new perspective on the effect of the national nickel policy on the business viability of selected mining companies in Indonesia by applying the company’s financial healthiness measurement in GIS.