Indonesia’s US$3.7 billion smelter project investment will be delayed to 2021 if the Covid-19 outbreak persists lasted till the end of this year.
According to the online briefing, these investments involved 35 ore processing facilities that are under construction or on schedule, including 18 nickel smelters, 2 copper projects, and 7 bauxite smelter projects. These projects are predicted to be completed around 2023 due to the epidemic. All these new smelter projects are on hold since January 2020.
According to the current situation, the epidemic will not end by the end of June as the daily affected cases are not decreasing.
Indonesia has stopped its nickel ore export this year in order to promote the domestic smelters' development.