The Solomon Islands care-taker government says it hopes to conclude the proposed purchase of the Gold Ridge gold mine from Australia's St Barbara before elections due in just over a month.
The mine on Guadalcanal was abandoned after flash flooding in April, prompting a sale proposal from owners St Barbara.
The special secretary to the Prime Minister, Phillip Tagini, is in charge of the government's negotiating team.
He says a team of experts is looking at the viability of the complex proposal.
"Everybody wants to get going and sign off on the deal as soon as possible but at the same time the project is a long term project. We dont want to comprimise on anything that we can do properly. If that is possible under the current government then that's really good but if that is not possible then I think the national interest is much more important to us."
Special Secretary Phillip Tagini
