不到十年，从小交易员到“掌握全国三分之一镍矿”贸易，印尼“镍王”阿里夫的崛起之路

Core Insights - Arif Kurniawan has rapidly ascended to become a key player in Indonesia's nickel market, controlling about one-third of the domestic nickel ore trade, which is valued at approximately $3 billion annually [1][3] - The Indonesian government has implemented policies to upgrade technology and regulate the mining industry, which has increased Arif's wealth but also introduced new uncertainties due to potential changes in mining regulations [2][6] Group 1: Market Position and Control - Arif and his main business partner Edi Liu Amas hold at least 20 mining licenses in Indonesia's primary nickel-producing regions, covering over 71,000 hectares, significantly larger than the Weda Bay Nickel mine [3] - Arif's trading volume accounted for about one-third of Indonesia's nickel market last year, with an estimated transaction volume of $3 billion based on production data and government benchmark prices [3] Group 2: Business Strategy and Growth - Arif's rise is attributed to his experience at Glencore and his ability to navigate Indonesia's changing industrial policies, particularly after the 2014 export ban on raw minerals [4] - He established PT Dua Delapan Resources in 2015 to act as an intermediary between Chinese smelting giants and small-scale miners, capitalizing on the market gap left by larger companies [4] Group 3: Industry Dynamics and Challenges - Since 2022, the nickel ore market in Indonesia has faced shortages due to government production quotas, shifting the power dynamics in the supply chain towards resource holders like Arif [5] - The new administration under President Prabowo Subianto is restructuring the mining industry, increasing fees and cracking down on illegal mining, which poses risks to Arif's operations and could affect his business empire [2][6]