The director general of New Caledonia's Goro Nickel company, Ron Renton, says the company is confident that it will receive a new operating license, known as ICPE.
This license is needed to operate the two billion US dollar project under certain environmental conditions.
The current ICPE license was challenged in court, although a final decision is to be made at a date to be set yet.
Mr Renton says the challenged ICPE is not a reflection of the current design of the project.
And he says the company knew it would need a new ICPE.
"We knew that there would be a new ICPE required anyway and the ICPE is necessary to operate but not construct the plant. So we clearly go forward on the basis that we will submit a new ICPE and that we will get approval for a that ICPE. Now perhaps the government has learned something about the process and the process followed to make sure that these ICPE's are not vulnerable to challenge in the courts."
Ron Renton
