“Reimagining Circularity: Critical Mineral Governance and Just Transitions in Indonesia”

“Reimagining Circularity: Critical Mineral Governance and Just Transitions in Indonesia” is a research initiative hosted by the Asia Research Centre Universitas Indonesia (ARC UI). The project critically re-examines the practices and conceptualizations of circularity within Indonesia’s critical mineral extractive industries, specifically focusing on nickel, bauxite, and copper.

The research team, which includes four interns from the Undergraduate Anthropology Program at UI, conducted extensive fieldwork in Weda, Central Halmahera, North Maluku—a major hub for nickel industrialization. Beyond analyzing tailings management and battery production loops, the study investigates the social and ecological impacts of these emerging industries on local communities. This includes exploring shifts in lifestyles, livelihoods, and the envisioned future in a post-mining landscape.

Employing an empirical and collaborative ethnographic approach, the project seeks to understand how industrial transformations align with the principles of social justice and sustainability. Simultaneously, it aims to sharpen students’ research acumen regarding the complexities of industrialization and mineral resource governance in the era of global energy transition.