Vale Indonesia, ECOPRO Visit GEM to Plan Nickel Partnership

Three Battery Supply Chain Giants Meet in China

Vale Indonesia's CEO and ECOPRO's president traveled to GEM Co., Ltd.'s Jingmen Circular Economy Industrial Park on April 27–28, 2026, for a high-level summit on nickel resources and circular economy cooperation. The three companies are now planning to jointly advance a major collaboration project in Indonesia, signaling a deepening of cross-border ties across the EV battery supply chain.

The visit brought together 3 key players spanning mining, precursor manufacturing, and battery recycling — a rare alignment of upstream, midstream, and downstream expertise.

Who Are the Players?

Each company occupies a critical node in the global nickel-to-battery pipeline:

• Vale Indonesia — A subsidiary of Brazilian mining giant Vale S.A., it is one of the world's largest nickel producers, operating major mining and processing operations on the island of Sulawesi
• ECOPRO — A South Korean materials company and a leading manufacturer of cathode precursors and cathode active materials, supplying major battery makers including Samsung SDI
• GEM Co., Ltd. (格林美) — A Shenzhen-listed Chinese company specializing in battery recycling, urban mining, and nickel-cobalt precursor production, with a growing international footprint

GEM's Jingmen facility, located in Hubei Province, serves as the company's flagship circular economy hub. It processes end-of-life batteries and electronic waste to recover critical metals like nickel, cobalt, and lithium.

Nickel Supply Chains Face Growing Pressure

The meeting's agenda — centered on 'nickel resource challenges' — reflects mounting industry-wide concerns. Indonesia dominates global nickel supply, accounting for roughly 50% of world production. However, the country's evolving export policies, environmental regulations, and downstream processing mandates have introduced new uncertainties for international buyers.

For Western automakers and battery manufacturers, securing reliable nickel supply has become a strategic priority. The $30+ billion global nickel market is under pressure from both surging EV demand and tightening ESG requirements that scrutinize mining practices.

Circular economy approaches — recovering nickel from spent batteries rather than relying solely on virgin mining — are increasingly viewed as essential to long-term supply security.

Indonesia Emerges as the Collaboration Battleground

The 3 companies confirmed plans to 'jointly advance Indonesia cooperation project construction to high standards,' according to GEM's disclosure. While specific project details remain undisclosed, the partnership's logic is clear.

Vale Indonesia brings raw material access and local operational expertise. ECOPRO contributes advanced cathode material technology and connections to Korean battery giants. GEM offers recycling infrastructure and experience building nickel-cobalt processing facilities in Indonesia — the company already operates a nickel processing presence in the country.