The 2020 protests in New Caledonia began on 28 October 2020 over a plan to sell a Vale-owned nickel and cobalt mine to a consortium led by Trafigura.

Independence leaders and pro-independence protesters wanted for the nickel plant to be owned by citizens of New Caledonia rather than foreign investors, though various arrangements have been proposed.

[1] Protests, riots, counter-protests and general civil unrest occurred in New Caledonia as a result of the planned sale of the Goro mine.

Vale has lost billions on maintaining operations at the Goro mine, and it was a financial drain on the company for years.

[7][8] According to the Asia Times, "The territory’s 290,000 population is closely divided between the Kanaks, who are Melanesian, and settlers who began arriving in the mid-19th century when France set up a penal colony.

[14] A group known as the Indigenous Customary Negotiating Body (Instance Coutumière Autochtone de Négociation), or ICAN opposed the deal to sell the mine to a foreign company, and along with independence leaders, wanted the mine sold to the domestic company Sofinor instead, backed by Korea Zinc.

[20][9] French President Emmanuel Macron and his overseas minister, Sebastien Lecornu, were asked to intervene in the crisis and to help to form a nickel strategy for the island which could be broadly accepted.

[21][22] Anti-independence counter-protesters organized a march in Nouméa, led by New Caledonia president Thierry Santa, which over 20,000 people attended.

[19] Kanak leaders called the move to allow police to escape mandatory quarantine a violation of health measures.

[24][25] A proposal by the president of New Caledonia's southern province would allow for fifty-one percent of the nickel plant's stake to go to New Caledonians.