"Hopefully it will be in the range of 19 thousand to 20 thousand (US dollars per ton)," said the Director General of Minerals and Coal (Dirjen Minerba) of the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources, Tri Winarno, when met after the Working Meeting (Raker) of Commission XII of the House of Representatives at the Parliament Complex in Jakarta, Thursday.
The Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources has cut nickel production to around 250 million–260 million tonnes in 2026, down from the production target of 379 million tonnes in the 2025 work plan and budget (RKAB).
Regarding companies whose RKABs have not yet been approved, Tri reminded that nickel mining companies still have production approvals until March 2026 to use their 25 percent production quota.
"So, while they're completing the requirements (for the RKAB to be approved) and so on, they have an approval that runs until March and can still be used," Tri said.
The measures to cut nickel production are aimed at maintaining commodity prices at the global level.
From its initial fall to US$14,125 per ton on December 16, 2025, it has now risen to US$17,000 per ton, based on London Metal Exchange (LME) data as of January 22, 2026.
In fact, the price of nickel reached US$18,450 per ton on January 7, 2026.
Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Bahlil Lahadalia also asked large industries to purchase nickel ore from mining companies.
In addition to cutting nickel production, the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources is also reducing coal production to around 600 million tons in 2026, down almost 200 tons compared to coal production in 2025 of 790 million tons.
Despite cutting nickel and coal production, the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources is targeting non-tax state revenue (PNBP) from the minerals and coal (minerba) sector to reach IDR 134 trillion in 2026.
