Sumitomo Mining

One of them is Sunshine Minerals while two others are yet to confirm.

Sunshine Minerals has been granted a letter of intent by the Solomon Islands Ministry of Mines for its application for a prospecting licence over the Jejevo deposit in Isabel province and a prospecting licence is expected to be issued in due course.

The current mining company which still has interest is Axiom, despite not being granted the rights over the International Tender Areas after a legal battle with SMM.

The Japanese miner started its acquisition of prospecting licences and has been exploring nickel in Isabel and Choiseul province since 2005 but got caught up in a six-year legal battle with Australia’s Axiom Mining.

The legal battle ended in March with neither SMMS nor Axiom being granted the rights over the International Tender Areas.