The auction of a Queensland cattle station owned by Clive Palmer has been postponed so potential buyers can assess previously undisclosed mining compensation agreements.
The 6258 hectare Mamelon Station, northwest of Rockhampton, has attracted private Chinese interests and was supposed to go under the hammer to help raise funds for the embattled Queensland Nickel operations.
But administrators pulled the pin in front of a full house on Friday after they were told landowner QNI Metals had signed three conduct and compensation agreements with other Palmer companies, Fairway Coal and Styx Coal.
It's understood the agreements mean Fairway and Styx, who hold mining tenements over the property, will have to pay compensation to access the land for exploration.
FTI Consulting said a future buyer may be bound by the agreements.
"Despite the property being sold `as is where is' we consider that it is appropriate each bidder be given time to consider the terms," administrators FTI Consulting said in a statement read to potential bidders.
The station, which was put up for sale last month, is now scheduled for sale on Wednesday.
Before the delay, Colliers International's Ben Forrest said the sale had attracted interstate and Chinese interest.
"There has been some international interest and some good interstate interest," he told AAP.
"(But) a big portion of them (potential bidders) are local graziers."
Proceeds from the sale are supposed to put a dent in around $100 million of creditor debt believed to be owed by Queensland Nickel, which had been operating the Yabulu nickel refinery.
The company went into administration in January but Mr Palmer resumed control of the refinery by creating new entity Queensland Nickel Sales last week.
Almost all of the refinery's 550 staff had their employment terminated from last Friday.
Mr Palmer has made a list of demands to be met if the plant is to be operational again from the end of July.
QNI Metals bought Mamelon for around $8 million in 2010.
The property has been widely expected to sell at a loss.
