The owners of the closed Gold Ridge gold mine are disputing a Solomon Islands government report that it is on the market for $US76 million.
The Solomons' government put this figure in a media release but the company St Barbara says both it and the government had earlier agreed on a nominal price for the mine.
A spokesperson for St Barbara says that nominal price is confidential.
The Solomons government has also confirmed that it will not buy the mine.
The sun sets over the Port of Honiara in Solomon Islands. Photo: RNZI/Koroi Hawkins
St Barbara says it is currently negotiating a potential transfer of the ownership of Gold Ridge to a Solomons company associated with local landowners.
There are also reports that a Papua New Guinea company is interested in a joint venture.