DMCI Mining Corp. is positioning 2026 as a breakout year, aiming to capitalize on firmer nickel prices and the imminent opening of its Palawan operations after delivering its strongest production performance to date in 2025.
The Consunji-led miner said it is targeting shipments of up to 3 million wet metric tons (WMT) of nickel ore this year — a sharp step up from the record 2 million WMT produced in 2025, itself a 33-percent surge from 1.5 million WMT in 2024. The growth trajectory signals a strategic pivot from consolidation to aggressive expansion, supported by both market tailwinds and new project capacity.
|Company president Tulsi Das Reyes expressed confidence that improving industry fundamentals and higher realized prices could sustain the momentum. “If execution remains disciplined and market conditions hold, we believe 2026 can be another historic year for us,” Reyes said, noting that stronger demand from Asian smelters has reinforced pricing stability.
Industry data show the average benchmark price for Philippine laterite nickel ore (1.5% grade, free on board) climbed 26 percent to $45.7 per WMT from $36.3 per WMT a year earlier. The rebound follows a prolonged correction cycle in global nickel markets, weighed down previously by oversupply and soft battery-sector demand.
A key growth catalyst for DMCI Mining this year is the Long Point Nickel Project in Aborlan, Palawan, which is expected to commence operations within weeks pending final regulatory clearances. The project is operated by subsidiary Berong Nickel Corp., which secured a 25-year Mineral Production Sharing Agreement covering 2,177 hectares.
The Palawan expansion not only increases output capacity but also enhances logistical flexibility, giving the company additional volume to serve Chinese processors and other regional buyers. DMCI Mining exports nickel ore directly to foreign markets, with China remaining the dominant destination for Philippine nickel shipments.
Reyes said the company is encouraged by renewed investor interest in the nickel value chain, particularly as stainless steel production stabilizes and electric vehicle supply chains gradually recover from last year’s slowdown. While Indonesia remains the region’s largest producer, Philippine miners are regaining competitiveness amid supply recalibrations.
Beyond production targets, DMCI Mining highlighted its environmental and social commitments. Berong Nickel has rehabilitated more than 174 hectares of its Quezon mine site under what it described as the country’s first approved Final Mine Rehabilitation and Decommissioning Plan (FMRDP) for a nickel operation. Completion of the rehabilitation program is scheduled for 2027.\
The company said aligning production growth with rehabilitation milestones strengthens its long-term license to operate, particularly in environmentally sensitive provinces such as Palawan.
With output expanding, prices firming, and a new mine set to come online, DMCI Mining enters 2026 with stronger leverage to market cycles. Whether the 3-million-ton target is achieved will hinge on permit timelines, weather conditions, and global demand dynamics — but the company’s latest results suggest it is entering the year from a position of operational strength rather than recovery.
For Philippine mining, the message is clear: after a volatile stretch, nickel may once again be driving a new growth chapter.