PT Vale's Morowali Investment Strengthens Collaboration Spirit in Central Sulawesi
CENTRAL SULAWESI — Strong collaboration between the business sector, regional government, and stakeholders forms the foundation for maintaining investment stability and ensuring regional development progresses in an inclusive and sustainable manner.
This partnership spirit continues to be strengthened by PT Vale Indonesia Tbk (PT Vale) through the development of the Indonesia Growth Project (IGP) Morowali, one of Indonesia’s strategic national projects in advancing mineral downstream processing.
As part of efforts to strengthen this synergy, PT Vale, a member of the Indonesian Mining Industry Holding MIND ID, held a joint iftar meal with the Morowali Regency Government and representatives of the Coordination Forum of Regional Leaders (Forkopimda) on Tuesday at the Port Facilities Bahomotefe, East Bungku, Morowali.
The event was attended by Morowali Regent Iksan Baharudin Abd Rauf, Morowali DPRD Chair Herdiyanto Marzuki, Morowali Military Commander Lieutenant Colonel Abraham Sada Panjaitan, Morowali Police Deputy Commander Police Colonel I. Nyoman Arka Wiyasa, and PT Vale management led by President Director and CEO Bernardus Irmanto, Chief Project Officer Muhammad Asril, and Chief Sustainability and Corporate Affairs Officer Budiawansyah.
This moment served as both a networking opportunity and strategic dialogue forum to strengthen transparent, constructive relationships aligned with the region’s development vision.
President Director and CEO of PT Vale Indonesia, Bernardus Irmanto, emphasised that IGP Morowali is a strategic investment of approximately US$2 billion designed to strengthen the national mineral downstream processing ecosystem whilst creating greater economic value for Indonesia.
The project encompasses mine development and the construction of high-pressure acid leach (HPAL) processing facilities, targeted to operate in phases during 2026 to 2027.
“Certainly, this excellent project progress cannot be realised without the support of all parties, particularly the Morowali Regency Government and Forkopimda members. We hope this strategic partnership continues and further strengthens the contribution of the downstream processing sector to regional development,” stated Bernardus.
He added that all project development stages are implemented with emphasis on workplace safety principles, regulatory compliance, and environmental protection, in line with PT Vale’s commitment to sustainable mining practices.
To date, mining infrastructure development for IGP Morowali has achieved 99% construction progress, marking an important milestone in ensuring optimal operational readiness.
Meanwhile, HPAL processing facility development has reached approximately 27% progress and continues according to planned construction stages.
Throughout this year, the IGP Morowali project has recorded positive operational performance through the sale of approximately 2.2 million tonnes of nickel ore. This achievement represents an important milestone in maintaining continuous cash flow for the company whilst strengthening contributions to regional and national revenue.
Bernardus added that the company is grateful for the support and guidance from the Regent and all Forkopimda members. Investment journeys certainly involve dynamics, but through open dialogue and strong cooperation, PT Vale is confident all challenges can be faced together.
“We are committed to maintaining safe operations, complying with regulations, and delivering positive value for the people of Morowali. There is no future without considering mining, and there is no mining without considering the future,” said Bernardus Irmanto.
Environmental Commitment and Community Empowerment
In line with the company’s sustainability commitment, PT Vale continues to strengthen environmental management through the development of a nursery as part of mine area reclamation and revegetation programmes.
The completed nursery facility has production capacity of up to 700,000 seedlings per year, which will be used to support ecosystem recovery and land revegetation in stages across operational areas.
Beyond infrastructure development and environmental management, PT Vale also implements various Community Development and Empowerment Programmes (PPM) based on eight development pillars in accordance with the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources regulations: education, health, community income enhancement, local economy, socio-culture, environment, institutional development, and infrastructure development.
These programmes include improvements to community health services, support for education and vocational training for local workers, and the development of community-based productive economy initiatives.
“All these initiatives are designed so that the company’s business growth progresses in line with improved quality of life for surrounding communities whilst supporting the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs),” added Bernardus.
Appreciation from Morowali Regency Government
Morowali Regent Iksan Baharudin Abdul Rauf, in his remarks, expressed appreciation for PT Vale’s commitment to constructive communication and resolving various issues professionally.
“I see that PT Vale is one of mining company that truly demonstrates full commitment. During my year in office, we have faced only one major conflict with PT Vale, and thankfully all those issues were resolved without leaving any problems,” said the Regent.
“This proves there is strong collaboration between PT Vale, government, community, security apparatus, and all related parties. The team handling these issues worked very cohesively and solidly. For this performance, we from the Morowali Regency Government express our highest appreciation,” he added.
The Regent also noted that PT Vale has taken strategic steps in supporting regional development through constructive partnerships and professional problem-solving.