PT Trimegah Bangun Persada, Tbk or Harita Nickel, an integrated nickel mining and processing company, has committed its nickel mining and related processing operations to third-party independent assessment against the IRMA Standard for Responsible Mining. Harita Nickel’s mine is the first in Indonesia to formally commit to an IRMA audit. Harita Nickel is located on Obi Island, South Halmahera, North Maluku.
“By volunteering the Harita Nickel mining operation for independent audit against the world’s most rigorous global mining standard, Harita Nickel is providing unprecedented transparency into the operations of an Indonesian mine,” said IRMA Executive Director Aimee Boulanger. “Harita will provide affected stakeholders with information they can use to engage the company in dialogue about how to make their mine more responsible. This is especially timely given the importance of nickel to support the energy transition, and the demand from downstream purchasers to source more responsibly mined nickel, particularly for the automotive and renewable energy sectors.”
“Harita Nickel’s commitment to undergoing the rigorous IRMA audit reflects their dedication to responsible mining practices in Indonesia. We highly appreciate their initiative, which not only sets a benchmark for the industry, but also supports the government’s vision for a more transparent, and environmentally and socially responsible mining sector. This effort underscores the importance of aligning national industrialisation with global standards, ensuring long-term benefits for our communities and the environment,” added Septian Hario Seto, Indonesia’s Deputy of Coordinating Ministry of Maritime and Investment.
“We want our purchasers to have confidence that they are buying responsibly sourced nickel,” said Roy Arman Arfandy, President Director of PT Trimegah Bangun Persada, Tbk (Harita Nickel). “By undergoing an independent IRMA audit, we aim to align our operations with best practices and, with affected stakeholders and rights holders, identify areas for ongoing improvement. We are committed to aligning with international standards for responsible mining for the long term.”
The Initiative for Responsible Mining Assurance (IRMA) is (1) a voluntary mining standard describing best practices to protect people and the environment, (2) an assurance process to measure mines against that standard, and (3) an organisation equally governed by representatives of six affected stakeholder sectors – communities, organised labour, NGOs, finance, purchasers and mining companies – that controls the standard and the assurance process. IRMA is globally unique in that its governance provides communities equal power to mining companies, and the non-commercial interests have the same power as commercial interests.