Jakarta, 12 June 2025 – A Greenpeace Indonesia investigation released today reveals the full scale of the threat nickel mining poses across Raja Ampat, Indonesia, an area referred to as ‘The Last Paradise on Earth’ and featuring in prominent lists of top travel destinations for 2025.[1]
The ‘Paradise Lost?’ report finds:
- A total of 16 nickel mining licences issued across the Raja Ampat archipelago, comprising 5 active licences and 11 previously issued but having been cancelled or expired.
- Two previously cancelled/expired licences were re-issued in 2025.
- Three other previously cancelled/expired licenses that are subject to company legal action to reactivate them.
- A previously issued licence for nickel mining on Fam Islands, including the famous tourist destination Piaynemo/Jokowi steps.
- Plans for nickel and steel smelters with links to nickel mining in Raja Ampat, to be built at Sorong. Sorong sits at the tip of New Guinea’s Bird’s Head Peninsula, itself a biodiversity hotspot, and the arrival point for tourists visiting Raja Ampat.[2]
Of the 16 nickel mining licences, 12 are located within the boundaries of the UNESCO-listed Raja Ampat Global Geopark, whilst 4 of the active licenses are on ‘small islands’ as designated by the Indonesian Government, which should mean that no mining can take place.
On 10th June the Indonesian Government announced it would revoke 4 active licences covering 3 of these small islands and one additional licence on Waigeo.[3] However, a number of cancelled licences have previously been reactivated in Raja Ampat.[4] Furthermore, the permit for the largest mine, operated by PT Gag Nikel, was not revoked.
Commenting on the investigation findings Kiki Taufik, head of Greenpeace’s global Indonesia forest campaign, said: “Raja Ampat is Indonesia’s last paradise. But instead of protecting it for Indigenous and local communities and the diving and tourism that have helped make this archipelago famous around the world, the government has left the door open to polluting nickel mining.
“Raja Ampat is incredible and unique, recognised as a Global Geopark by UNESCO and theoretically protected. The news this week that the Government will cancel four mining licenses is a step forward, but it’s not enough. The President must protect all of Raja Ampat and stop all plans for nickel mining and the plans for nickel and steel smelters in Sorong.“
Until this week two mines were commercially operating: PT Gag Nikel, a state owned mining company, and PT Kawei Sejahtera Mining. Both of these mines ship nickel ore to Indonesia Weda Bay Industrial Park for processing/smelting. PT Tsinghshan, a major shareholder in the industrial park that processes the ore from Raja Ampat, has established a joint venture company, Youshan Nickel Indonesia together with Huayou group. Youshan Nickel makes battery components for electric vehicles in Indonesia. PT Huayou supplies nickel to battery supply chains linked to a number of major EV makers including Toyota, Honda, Nissan, Hyundai, BMW, Mercedes, Tesla and BYD. It is therefore possible that any of these vehicle supply chains could be linked to nickel ore coming from Raja Ampat, though a lack of supply chain transparency makes this impossible to confirm at this time.
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Download the ‘Paradise Lost?’ report.
Images and videos available for media use.
Notes
[1] See for example travel articles in National Geographic, The New York Times and CNN.
[2] Smelters for nickel and steel are planned for Sorong and the project was planned to break ground in 2024, although to date no work has started.
[3] The cancelled licenses are PT Kawei Sejahtera Mining (Pulau Kawe), PT Anugerah Surya Pratama (Pulau Manuran), PT Mulia Raymond Perkasa (Pulau Manyaifun and Batang Pele), dan PT Nurham (Pulau Waigeo).
[4] The two licences reactivated this year (PT MRP and PT Nurham) have both followed legal action by the companies to reactivate previously cancelled licences.
Contact
Igor O’Neill, Greenpeace Indonesia, [email protected] +61-414-288-424
