Perminas-NEM to Develop Rare Earth Resources in Gabon as Danantara Prepares Strategic Investment Framework
PT Perusahaan Mineral Nasional (Perminas) is expanding its global footprint by forging a partnership with Canadian firm New Energy Metals Holdings Ltd (NEM) to develop niobium and rare earth resources in the Republic of Gabon.
The collaboration has received backing from the Daya Anagata Nusantara Investment Management Agency (Danantara) through the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU). The partnership is designed to build upstream-to-downstream integration of critical minerals whilst strengthening supply chains and value-added manufacturing capacity in Indonesia.
Danantara CEO Rosan Roeslani stated in a written release on Wednesday (18 February) that the move forms part of the national strategic downstream processing agenda.
“The next phase of Indonesia’s industrial growth requires robust access to strategic inputs and the ability to convert them into globally competitive downstream products. This cooperative framework aligns with that ambition and supports the development of a future-oriented critical minerals value chain,” Rosan said.
The MoU provides the basis for evaluating value chain connectivity from upstream to downstream sectors, including the opportunity to position Indonesia as a centre for rare earth processing, manufacturing, and industrial integration.
The partnership is also directed at strengthening supply resilience for critical minerals such as niobium (Nb), neodymium (Nd), and praseodymium (Pr), including heavy rare earth elements such as dysprosium and terbium. These minerals are primary raw materials for high-performance permanent magnets used in electric vehicles, electrification systems, renewable energy, as well as aerospace and defence industries.
Perminas President Director Gilarsi Wahju Setijono said the MoU opens a systematic pathway to connect global resource potential with the domestic industrialisation agenda.
He noted that the cooperation aligns with long-term national priorities and robust governance, serving as a strategic foundation to accelerate the transformation of the critical minerals sector.
As a follow-up, both parties will establish a Joint Working Group to execute a structured collaboration programme, encompassing technical data exchange, workshops, and integrated commercial assessments. Project development will cover stages from separation and refining, metal and alloy production, through to permanent magnet manufacturing.
On the financing side, a fast-track negotiation pathway has been opened regarding potential strategic investment participation, in both equity and debt financing forms, by Perminas and Danantara in the Maboumine mining project. All processes will be supported by an accelerated due diligence mechanism.
New Energy Metals Holdings President Abduljabbar Alsayegh welcomed the partnership.
“We are enthusiastic about partnering with Perminas to build a collaboration that strengthens and diversifies the crucial global rare earth supply chain,” he said.
This expansion marks Indonesia’s strategy to not only become a player in the domestic downstream sector but also to actively secure critical mineral raw material supplies at the global level as a foundation for future industries.