It was owned by the Brazilian company Vale, who, after failing to sell it to Melbourne-based New Century Mining in June 2020[1] sold it to Prony Resources New Caledonia consortium in April 2021.

[4] It is in a remote location with an indigenous Kanak population who were largely engaged in fishing and agriculture, with limited mining, prior to the plant.

It was opposed by many of the indigenous residents for some years, led by the Rheebu Nuu committee, and sabotage at the construction site caused significant delays.

Rheebu Nuu and Vale signed a “Pact for Sustainable Development of the Big South” in March 2008 that managed the question of royalties.

Rheebu Nuu then stopped legal measures against Vale Inco and accepted a discharging of highly dilute acid in the southern Caledonian lagoon.

A joint mission by the provincial government and the environmental authority are investigating the extent of pollution and plant performance.