Morowali Regency contains rich deposits of high-quality nickel, a vital material needed to manufacture lithium batteries.

[5] From 2014 to 2020, over US$6.5 billion in foreign direct investment has flowed into the construction of nickel smelters and other downstream processing activities in Morowali Regency.

As of 2021, the largest foreign investors were American, Chinese, and Japanese companies, while the government of Indonesia is attempting to build a domestic battery industry.

[5] The growth of this facility has resulted in the rapid expansion in the population, particularly in Bahodopi District where the mine is situated.

The increased workforce migrating into the area has been largely male, resulting in a substantively high gender ratio in the regency.