New Caledonia's SMSP mining company says its joint venture with South Korea's Cosco will double nickel production by 2014.
The two sides decided in 2008 on using New Caledonia's low-quality ore to produce nickel at plant in South Korea.
Production at the Gwangyang plant has reached 30,000 tonnes a year and will reach 54,000 tonnes by 2014.
This is based on SMSP increasing its shipments to 3,6 million tonnes of ore a year.
SMSP has a 51 percent majority stake in the venture, described as France's third biggest investment in South Korea, behind the oil company Total and car manufacturer Renault