1.   He said the aim of the project was to combine technologies to treat both unweathered and weathered nickel ore by the same process to cut costs.

2.   The dispute involved where the nickel ore would be processed.

3.   When crew members tried to right the ship, which was carrying nickel ore, it began tilting in the other direction, then started sinking, he said.

4.   Last month, New Caledonia signed an economic cooperation accord with the Australian state of Queensland, which is a major importer of nickel ore from New Caledonia.

5.   Nickel ore is currently exported unrefined.

6.   The company exported nickel ore to Australia and Japan.