Axiom has upgraded the nickel laterite mine's JORC mineral resource and has the first five years of production defined.

The development plan for the life of mine pit on Santa Isabel Island has been completed. So too has the field component of the social impact assessment. Several baseline ecological surveys, soil sampling and environmental fieldwork components, such as nursery operations, the construction of road drainage and erosion controls, have been done.

Negotiations with suppliers of marine services, vessels and heavy machinery have been completed and they are standing by to move into production.

There has been ongoing infrastructure development including a camp upgrade and the development of a laboratory, roads, barge ramp and stockpile areas.

Preliminary work has been done on nearby San Jorge Island, including survey and environmental baseline monitoring.

Axiom is finishing due diligence processes with global trading house Gunvor Singapore for a $A10 million finance facility and a long-term offtake agreement for production from Isabel.

The company is also going to undertake a European and US investor roadshow to tell its tale and rattle the tin.

However, one fly in the Axiom ointment could come from the Solomon Islands Court of Appeal.

Sumitomo Metal Mining Solomons and others wanted the courts to declare that SMMS had a valid prospecting licence over Kolosori land on Santa Isabel Island.

Axiom KB, the company's Solomon Islands entity, won that battle but SMMS appealed.

According to Axiom, chief justice Sir Albert Palmer mentioned the case was awaiting judgement in his recent opening of the Solomon Islands law term for 2016.

Axiom expects a judgement will be delivered "in the near future".