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Kanak unions call for customary procedures to be followed as demand for New Caledonian nickel grows

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Two men hold up colourful flag in front of white board.
Leaders from the Kanak Trade Union, USTKE, say traditional landowners need to be consulted and listened to as demand for New Caledonia's nickel grows.(ABC News: Yasmine Wright Gittins)
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New Caledonia possesses large deposits of rare minerals used in the manufacture of electric vehicle batteries.

As a result, the French Pacific territory has attracted the attention of the global mining industry, including the Australian government, as it looks to transition away from fossil fuels and embrace green technology.

But, as New Caledonia races to meet the demand for these minerals, Kanak unions have warned potential investors must respect the wishes of traditional owners.

By Yasmine Wright Gittins

Featured:

Mr Leonard Wahmetu, Project Manager, Federation of Mines, Quarries and Metallurgy 

Mr Antonio Newedou, Secretary General, Federation of Mines, Quarries and Metallurgy 

Corinne Bufnoir, Director Queensland Pacific Metals New Caledonia

Gabriel Bensimon, Prony Resources

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As demand for New Caledonia's nickel grows, Kanak leaders want their voices heard

Two men hold up colourful flag in front of white board.
Duration: 6 minutes 26 seconds
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New Caledonia, Pacific, Indigenous (Other Peoples), Mining Environmental Issues
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