New Caledonia's Southern Province president has indicated that the Brazilian miner Vale may well have no option but to sell its assets in New Caledonia's south to Chinese investors.
Sonia Backes Photo: Facebook
Sonia Backes said this year Vale had lost $US200 million.
She said in its current state, Vale would not find a buyer and therefore she was in favour of the company adopting a new strategy.
Ms Backes made the comment in an interview with the Nouvelles Caledoniennes days after Vale put its plant at Goro up for sale, with yet to be determined job losses.
Both her province and France were keeping an eye out as China was keen to get established in New Caledonia in the way it did in Vanuatu and French Polynesia, she said.
A photo taken on May 27, 2015 shows Brazilian Vale's nickel processing plant of Goro in southern New Caledonia. Photo: AFP PHOTO / FRED PAYET
While Australian and European investors would be viewed more favourably, questions needed to be asked of who would want to buy the plant.
Ms Backes said selling nickel ore abroad, as proposed by Vale, could be an option to raise money but consent for that would depend on it making a good return.
There has been no official word of who might be interested in buying into the plant at Goro, but there is speculation that Chinese investors are among them.