中国二手车网8月8月讯：日本住友金属矿业有限公司(Sumitomo metal Mining Co . ltd .，简称：住友)今日表示，由于镍价暴跌，以及所罗门群岛因矿业权益引起的法律纠纷，公司决定将退出在该岛国的镍矿勘探项目。
住友于2005年开始在所罗门群岛展开勘探业务，已与澳大利亚的Axiom Mining公司进行了长达六年的法律拉锯战，这场斗争终于在今年落幕，其结局是两家公司都没捞着在Isabel省镍矿的开采权利。
住友在一份声明中表示：“根据我们对商业环境的全面审查、法律程序的最终裁决以及其它因素的判断，最终得出结论，我们很难实施该项目。”
公司发言人称：“我们将撤出所有待处理的采矿租赁申请，并将在今年12月底之前完成。”
目前，住友拒绝披露其勘探成本和诉讼成本，但表示，此次退出将对其在截至2018年3月的财年收益产生轻微影响。
发言人称，“在诉讼过程中，镍价暴跌。但即使市场复苏，由于所罗门群岛的社会和法律制度尚未发展的局限性，这项工程仍将难以实施。”
住友计划到2021年将镍的年产量目标从目前的10万吨增加至15万吨。公司表示将继续通过菲律宾和印尼等国的项目寻求新的镍资产。
原文如下：
Sumitomo metal Mining exits Solomon Islands nickel exploration project
Japans Sumitomo metal Mining Co Ltd. said on Tuesday it will exit from a nickel exploration project in the Solomon Islands because of slumping nickel prices and the loss of a legal dispute over mining rights in the country.
Sumitomo metal Mining, which began exploring in the Solomon Islands in 2005, has been caught up in a six-year legal battle with Australias Axiom Mining, which ended this year with neither company being granted the rights over a nickel deposit in Isabel province, it said.
"As a result of our comprehensive review of business circumstances, the final judgment in the legal proceedings and other factors, we have concluded that it is difficult for us to implement the project," Sumitomo metal said in a statement.
"We will pull out from all of the pending applications for mining leases," a company spokesman said, adding the withdrawal will be completed by the end of December.
The Japanese miner declined to disclose its exploration costs and the cost of the legal battle, but said the exit will have a minor impact on its earnings for the current financial year to March 2018.
"During the legal proceedings, nickel prices have plunged. But even if the market picks up, it would be difficult to conduct the project as the social and legal system has not been developed in the Solomon Islands," the spokesman said.
Sumitomo metal has said it aims to increase its nickel output from its mine holdings to 150,000 tonnes a year in 2021 from the current 100,000 tonnes.
"Well continue to seek new nickel assets through projects in the Philippines and Indonesia, among others," he said.
