New Caledonia: why nickel is one of the main issues of the referendum – Europe 1

Caroline Baudry (special correspondent in Nouméa), edited by Solène Delinger
10:58 am, December 09, 2021, modified at

11:18 p.m., December 09, 2021

Only a few more days before knowing if New Caledonia will remain French. On Sunday, the Caledonians are called to the polls and will decide, in favor of independence, or not. If New Caledonia chooses to leave France, it will be necessary to say goodbye to a rare wealth: nickel. Report from Europe 1.

REPORTING

The The stakes of the referendum on the independence of New Caledonia are numerous. Among them, a major economic issue, that of nickel. If Caledonian voters vote in favor of independence, Sunday, France will have to say goodbye to a rare wealth: nickel. New Caledonia has a quarter of the world’s resource for this precious metal. Thousands of people work in the extraction of nickel, called green gold. This metal is used in particular to make batteries, that of Tesla’s electric cars, for example.

Elon Musk bought 42,000 tonnes of Caledonian nickel

The famous brand of Elon Musk is part of a consortium which supplies itself in New Caledonia. In Noumea, on the edge of the lagoon, there are surface mines. This is where shovels and trucks go to search for the nickel that caught the billionaire’s attention two years ago. He bought no less than 42,000 tonnes of green powder from the Prony Resources factory. “It is obviously a source of pride”, confides Mathias Vidal, its financial director, at the microphone of Europe 1. “It is the result of two years of negotiating work. About a quarter of our exports, over a period of time. from five to seven years, will be destined for Tesla. And then, it’s a source of pride because it also puts Caledonia on the map. “

The Tesla company is part of a consortium which supplies itself in New Caledonia.
Credit: AFP

Strict environmental standards

The archipelago stands out. Production here is framed by environmental standards, says the financial director. Ideal for making the batteries for the hundreds of thousands of Tesla electric vehicles that will travel the world tomorrow.

@ Prony Resources New Caledonia

“You need about 30 to 40 kilos of nickel per electric vehicle, which allows for a high density in the batteries and a high autonomy”, explains Mathias Vidal. The highly sought-after metal now sells for over $ 20,000 per tonne.

Elon Musk bought 42,000 tonnes of Caledonian nickel

Strict environmental standards

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