J'sco Holdings Begins Mining Nickel Ore, a Key Mineral for Secondary Batteries... "Expecting Supply Chain Securing"

JSCO Holdings announced on the 27th that it has officially started nickel ore mining in the Dinagat region of the Philippines.

With the commencement of this mining operation, JSCO Holdings plans to actively begin the first export of nickel ore in April, having secured a stable supply chain for nickel, a key mineral in the global secondary battery industry.

The first export will be made to China Chengtong International, a Chinese state-owned enterprise with which an MOA (Memorandum of Agreement) has been signed. Recently, JSCO Holdings signed an MOA with China Chengtong International for the annual supply of 1.2 million tons of nickel and 500,000 tons of iron ore. In addition, discussions to supply nickel to domestic and global companies are accelerating.

Nickel is considered a key mineral not only for secondary batteries but also for advanced industries such as semiconductors, and worldwide efforts are being made to reduce dependence on China and diversify supply chains. It is also analyzed that former U.S. President Donald Trump pushed for a U.S.-Ukraine critical minerals agreement to counter China. On the 24th (local time), Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced that he plans to visit the U.S. this week or next week to sign the minerals agreement, indicating that the U.S.-Ukraine critical minerals agreement is imminent.

Currently, China dominates most of the domestic nickel value chain from mining to refining. However, JSCO Holdings is working with the Philippine government to not only export ore but also pursue refining projects. Through this, the company plans to establish itself as a key player in the global nickel market.

A company official stated, “Now that we have officially started nickel ore mining in the Philippines, we will focus on securing sales channels and achieving performance growth. Although resource development projects typically require large-scale funding and sufficient time, JSCO Holdings has successfully led the Philippine nickel ore business in just three years, so we expect to achieve tangible results this year.”