The 5th New Caledonia Nickel Conference took place in Nouméa from July 1st to 5th. As a major player in the industry, Société Le Nickel (SLN), an ERAMET Groupe subsidiary, was a sponsor and participant in this leading trade event.
The New Caledonia Nickel Conference is intended for every player on the market, whether producer, buyer or supplier. The 2013 event brought together almost 150 professionals. They came to learn about the market’s economic and technological trends, but also to share and compare their experience, case studies or projects. The schedule included plenary talks, tours of local industrial sites, meetings and sales negotiations.
SLN, which has mined and beneficiated New Caledonian ore for more than a century and one of the event’s three principal sponsors, was represented of course, as was the ERAMET Groupe. Bertrand Madelin, Delegate CEO, ERAMET Nickel, gave a talk on the Groupe’s outlook and strategy on the nickel market. In another talk, SLN CEO Pierre Gugliermina presented the company’s project and commitments in terms of business, people, the environment and safety. With Koniambo and Vale, SLN was one of three companies that agreed to organise site tours. Attendees were able to look around SLN’s Doniambo metallurgical plant and its Népoui-Kopéto mining centre.
The conference was an opportunity for SLN to showcase its ambitions and vision of the New Caledonian nickel market’s future, from the viewpoint of a beneficial model in terms of economic fallout for the territory. The focus was on SLN’s sustainable management of its mining heritage, process innovation and environmentally-friendly actions. More generally, attendees took part in discussions on the development and growth opportunities on the nickel market.
