Eramet, a leader in the nickel market

The ferronickel (FeNi) produced by SLN generally contains 20-30% nickel, making Eramet one of the world’s leading ferronickel producers. Its SLN® 25 ferronickel granules are specially designed for continuous and precision-controlled feeding of arc furnaces and converters in stainless steel plants. Manufactured at the Doniambo foundry in New Caledonia, they are ISO 9001 certified, and meet the most stringent standards for sampling, chemical analysis and nickel weight content.

LSI (Low Sulfur Ingots), MSI (Medium Sulfur Ingots) and MSS (Medium Sulfur Shots), produced at the Doniambo plant, are particularly sought-after by our customers, who regard them as perfectly suited to their needs.

The nickel ore extracted from deep underground in New Caledonia is processed by Société Le Nickel (SLN). It is internationally recognized for its quality, its high nickel content and its homogeneity—a feature that makes Eramet one of the leaders in the ferronickel market. Some of the lower-grade ore is exported for use in nickel pig iron production in China and Japan. In total, 5.8 million wet tonnes of nickel ore were produced by SLN in 2023, of which 2.7 Mth were exported.

In 2020, Eramet partnered with Tsingshan to launch its nickel ferroalloy plant in Indonesia. Manufactured at the Weda Bay Nickel plant on the island of Halmahera, the ferroalloy ingots are designed to meet the needs of stainless steel producers, who appreciate their density and low phosphorus content.

In keeping with its environmental pledges, Eramet, through its subsidiary Société Le Nickel (SLN), is an active proponent of the circular economy through its production and sale of ferronickel slag, known as “SLAND.” Produced by the Doniambo plant in New Caledonia, this by-product is a sand that complies with French and Australian standards. It can replace natural sand in many situations such as the production of concrete, in dikes and for sandblasting. When ground down, it can partially replace cement thanks to its binding properties. SLN produces almost 2 million tonnes of SLAND per year.