Since 3 pm today, Thusday, December 10, the management of Vale New Caledonia is currently carrying out an evacuation of the Prony industrial plant, located 80 km south of Nouméa, the capital city.
According to our informations, 350 to 400 people were currently on site when evacuation was decided. Which is likely to lead to the industrial plant lockdown within the newt days.
Korea Zinc quits
The Prony metallurgical complex is in a critical situation due to blockages since mid-November.
On Monday, December 7, Korea Zinc – the industrial partner-to be for the independentist side – announced its withdrawal from the race to buy out the Vale’s nickel processing plant in New Caledonia.
Pro-France option
The next day, Vale announced that an agreement was signed with the Swiss trader Trafigura, a company that has more proximity with the pro-France leaders and, thus, with the French State.
Blockades
Many blockades have taken place on the roads outside Nouméa, in order to encourage the pro-France leaders to consider the independentists’ industrial option, without Trafigura.
Intrusions
In a press communiqué, the High Commissioner of the French Republic, in New Caledonia, states that “several attempts at intrusion took place at the Vale NC industrial”, this afternoon. “Gendarmes were threatened by vehicles at the gates of the Vale NC plant. The security forces had to use weapons to repel two pickups that were hitting the gendarmes. Damages were again committed and an administrative building burned down”, the communiqué added.