The Goro Nickel mining project in the south of New Caledonia has agreed with a French-Australian consortium to provide port services.
The 1.58 billion US dollar plant will be the biggest industrial project in the South Pacific.
The Goro Nickel project managers have agreed to demands by local Kanaks for studies on the environmental impact of the mine and processing plant.
However, the president of New Caledonia's southern province, Philippe Gomes, has recently complained about the mine's effluent pipe that enters the lagoon.
Kanak groups consulted on the project say previous environmental assessments haven't paid enough attention to the development of port facilities and residue storage.
