Nickel miner axes 530 jobs as pressure builds for budget bailout

The Albanese government is under more pressure to come up with a bailout package for the nickel industry in the May budget after the axe fell on another 530 workers on Monday.

Nickel miner First Quantum will put its Ravensthorpe operations into care and maintenance within days as the fallout from a rapid increase in nickel supply from Chinese-backed miners in Indonesia continues to decimate the industry in Australia.