Clive Palmer has settled part of his massive $200 million lawsuit with liquidators over the collapse of Queensland Nickel, a court has heard.

A lawyer for the liquidators, Shane Doyle, told the Brisbane Supreme Court on Thursday that a resolution had been reached over a $90 million claim for unpaid debts to Aurizon rail transport.

“There’s already been a resolution of the Aurizon debt part of the case,” he told Justice Debra Mullins when asking for the trial to be adjourned for another day.

Mr Doyle did not say how much Mr Palmer and his co-defendants had agreed to pay but did say another settlement may be reached on Friday.

“The position is there’s been continuing discussions between the [liquidators] and the defendants, which has the prospect [and] which is improving, I think, of substantially reducing the issues being tried in this case,” he said.

“We hope to advance that overnight.”

The breakthrough came after two nights of behind-the-scenes discussions between the billionaire businessman and the liquidators of his Townsville refinery, which was shut down in 2016 with the loss of hundreds of jobs.

The trial continues on Friday.