A similar product to nickel pig iron (NPI) produced in Indonesia, FeNi Luppen, is set to change the global nickel supply pattern if Chinese stainless steel mills are receptive, SMM learned.

Backed by Russian investors, Blackspace in Indonesia launched the nickel intermediate product in 2017 and claimed the production could hit 200,000 nickel mt in 2019. A source add that the company has made trial shipments to Chinese stainless steel mills.

This is a product that has gotten less attention compared with NPI as the latter received heavy Chinese investment in Indonesia over the past couple of years.

SMM forecast Chinese-invested NPI capacity in Indonesia to reach 600,000 nickel mt in 2018 with production at 450,000 nickel mt. 

• [Editor:Wang Linyan]