Published February 11, 2021, 1:50 PM The Philippines’ nickel output declined in 2020 amid the COVID-19 pandemic, but thanks to higher global prices, its full-year export value went up to P25 billion. Citing data from Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB), Philippine Nickel Industry Association (PNIA) revealed that the country’s nickel sector produced a total of 18.5 million dry metric tons (DMT) in 2020, a 14 percent decline in production in comparison to 21.6 million DMT production in the previous year 2019. The decrease in production was mainly brought about by the enhanced community quarantine between March to May 2020 where the movement of mineral products was limited throughout the country.