The switching off of the furnaces happened over the weekend and means many of the 1,200 workers have been laid off, Alexandre Rousseau, vice chairman and spokesperson at KNS, informed Reuters.
KNS had launched a redundancy plan in late July within the absence of a agency supply for Glencore’s stake forward of the end-August deadline.
Reiterating that three events have been fascinated with a possible funding, Rousseau stated two of them have been holding extra detailed discussions with Glencore and aimed to go to KNS’ website in northern New Caledonia within the coming weeks.
A Glencore spokesperson stated KNS remained in care and upkeep following the shutdown of the furnaces, declining to remark additional.
The New Caledonian nickel sector has been dealt an additional blow by unrest since Could within the French-controlled southern Pacific territory.
French mining group Eramet stated its native subsidiary SLN continued to function at minimal capability. The territory’s different nickel processor, Prony Sources, has suspended its operations.
(By Gus Trompiz; Enhancing by Christina Fincher)