MIL OSI Translation. French Polynesian to English –
Source: Government of New Caledonia
The government deeply deplores the announcement of the closure of the three mining sites in Thio by Société Le Nickel (SLN), the historic cradle of the mining industry in New Caledonia. This decision, which concerns the sites of Dothio, Plateau and Camp des Sapins, represents a hard blow for the municipality and all its inhabitants.
With 350 jobs cut, including 230 direct jobs and 120 indirect jobs, hundreds of families are being severely impacted. Subcontracting, which represented nearly 3.7 billion francs for the municipality, will also suffer the consequences of this decision.
The government wishes to express its solidarity with the families affected by this closure and acknowledges the historical and economic importance of the Thio mine, which has contributed to the growth of the Caledonian metallurgical industry for 140 years. As a reminder, nearly 20% of the ore processed at the Doniambo plant comes from Thio, highlighting its central role in the territory’s nickel sector.
Furthermore, the government is asking SLN and all stakeholders to work in a concerted and responsible manner to explore all possibilities for resuming activities on the site. It is crucial to preserve local employment and ensure a sustainable future for the families of Thio and for the nickel industry, a pillar of the New Caledonian economy.
The government finally reiterates its commitment to support any initiative aimed at restoring hope to the commune of Thio and revitalizing mining activity while respecting social, economic and environmental balances.
EDITOR’S NOTE: This article is a translation. Apologies should the grammar and/or sentence structure not be perfect.