PALU, RAKYAT NEWS – The Central Sulawesi Governor Rusdy Mastura has praised the Neo Energy Morowali Industrial Estate (NEMIE) in Morowali Regency as a groundbreaking development for sustainable industrial practices in the province.

The Governor made this statement during the groundbreaking ceremony for the High-Pressure Acid Leaching (HPAL) Neo Energy project at NEMIE on Saturday, September 14, 2024.

“This development marks a significant milestone and will have a profound impact on the economy of Central Sulawesi and Morowali, as well as the national industry. It is key to advancing community welfare through environmentally-friendly and downstream processing initiatives,” Governor said

During the ceremony, Rusdy emphasized that every investment must contribute to improving community welfare and adhere to environmental standards.

He called on all stakeholders—including government, businesses, academic institutions, and local communities—to foster strong communication and collaboration to drive inclusive and sustainable economic growth.

“We must unite, synergize, and collaborate to position our industry as a cornerstone in building the nation towards Indonesia’s Golden Vision 2045, starting from the Thousand Megaliths region in Central Sulawesi,” Mastura added.

The NEMIE industrial zone is recognized as a National Strategic Project (PSN). Neo Energy is establishing Indonesia’s first HPAL smelter using entirely renewable energy sources. The smelter will process nickel ore into mixed hydroxide precipitate (MHP), a precursor for electric vehicle batteries.

This HPAL project is expected to boost the national MHP capacity by 120,000 metric tons per year. The NEMIE zone, designed to be a hub for green mineral processing, will operate on 100 percent renewable energy, including hydro and solar power, making it a model for environmentally-friendly industry practices in Indonesia.