Many countries, including the United States and China, have expressed interest in collaborating with the Philippines on mining, particularly for nickel, that country’s environment minister said Friday .
Maria Antonia Yulo-Loyzaga said in a speech that the Philippines should strengthen its nickel processing capacity, a key component for the production of batteries in electric vehicles. She said Australia, Britain, Canada and European Union countries had expressed interest in the Philippines.
“Unfortunately, the country currently has only two nickel processing plants, which highlights the need for the administration to take specific measures,” said Loyzaga, whose ministry also oversees mining.
The Philippines is seeking to follow in the footsteps of its neighbor Indonesia, which attracted major investment in processing plants for its huge nickel ore deposits, after banning unprocessed exports in 2020. It is trying to attract big electric vehicle manufacturers in the country.
The Philippines’ two nickel processing plants are partly owned by the ore’s largest producer, Nickel Asia Corp.
Latest government data shows that the Philippines produced 35.14 million dry metric tons of nickel ore last year, up 19 percent year-on-year. (Reporting by Mikhail Flores and Karen Lema; Editing by Martin Petty)
