Indonesia imported 53,864 metric tons of nickel ore in the first half of 2023, up from 22,503 tons for all of 2022, Indonesian trade data showed. But imports from the Philippines only started in May, and all arrived at Morowali port in a huge nickel processing park run partly by Chinese nickel giant Tsingshan Group, the Indonesian data showed. "But the ore is cheaper by comparison with domestic ore currently and so this will offset some of the rising costs," Mitchell said. The Philippines mined 360,000 tons of nickel in ore in 2022, or 11% of global supplies, according to INSG. Philippines 1.3% grade ore landed at China's Lianyun port surged 20.6% in the past month to $41 a ton, the highest since March, Mysteel data showed.

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Persons: Antara, Aneka, Tsingshan, Wood Mackenzie, Andrew Mitchell, Mitchell, Mai Nguyen, Siyi Liu, Fransiska, Enrico dela Cruz, Dominique Patton, Kim Coghill Organizations: PT Vale Indonesia, REUTERS Acquire, Nickel, Tsingshan Group, Study, Imports, Thomson Locations: Sorowako, South Sulawesi, Indonesia, Philippines, Jakarta, Morowali, China, China's, Hanoi, Beijing, Manila