New Caledonian nickel producer Prony Resources is facing an “alarming” situation amid a slump in metal prices as it waits for the possibility France will offer monetary support for the territory’s nickel sector, a company spokesperson said.

A prolonged slump in nickel prices is stress-testing producers worldwide, raising the prospect of sweeping mine closures that will deepen Indonesia’s dominance of global supply.

SLN, the New Caledonia nickel producer controlled by mining group Eramet, said on Monday it was running at reduced capacity after an electrical incident over the weekend caused a local power cut.

The miner on Monday posted a near 50% drop in second-quarter metallurgical coal output as it completed major work at an underground mine at its Illawarra operation, while its quarterly manganese production also missed estimates.

Wyloo Metals Pty Ltd., the private nickel producer owned by billionaire Andrew Forrest, is shutting down its Western Australian mines due to a sharp slump in prices for the key transition metal.

A sharp slide in nickel prices over the past year, driven by a jump in Indonesian supply, has hit Australian nickel producers, leading to mine closures, production cuts and writedowns in recent months.

Sumitomo Metal Mining Canada is investing about C$14.5 million to gain a 9.9% interest in FPX Nickel (TSXV: FPX).

BHP Group said on Thursday it was reassessing the value of its nickel operations after a price slump, in a move that could lead to writedowns amid an oversupply of the metal used in electric vehicle batteries.