Modern Mining August 2022

MINING News

AIM-listed Jubilee Metals has announced an update at its Zambian operations where the integration of the Sable Copper and Cobalt refinery with the newly constructed copper concentrator, Project Roan, contin ues as part of Jubilee’s Southern Refining Strategy. Jubilee Metals provides update on Zambia project Project highlights include:  Cobalt refining circuit at the Sable Refinery entered the commissioning phase during June 2022, with first trial cobalt product produced per the expected commissioning and ramp up schedule:

• Commercial production is targeted to commence during August 2022. • The cobalt refining circuit at Sable is able to produce up to 1 200 tonnes of cobalt a year depending on the feed grade.  Commissioning and ramp up is progress ing at the Project Roan concentrator reaching 65% of designed capacity with first filtered copper concentrate produced for refining at Sable as part of commissioning and ramp-up activities: • Ramp-up of the concentrator reached design capacities at the end of July 2022. • At capacity, targets the processing of 830 tonnes of copper in concentrate per month for refining at Sable. • Part of overall Southern Refining Strategy to reach 12 000 tonnes per annumof copper production capacity. • Significant employment opportunities created, and local suppliers priori tised, to create a locally sustainable support infrastructure.  tion, Johannes Mavuso, said the Eastern Basin AMD plant had not been able to treat acid mine water since February 2022 owing to the failure of pump motors. “This has affected TCTA’s ability to abstract water from the Eastern Basin, resulting in the increase in the AMD level within this basin,” he said. “As reported previously, the danger of a decant is predicted to be only around December 2022 if the situation were to remain the same”. 

Jubilee Metals is on track with Zambian project commissioning.

The Trans-Caledon Tunnel Authori ty (TCTA) and Newshelf (NS 1186), a subsid iary of Gold One Group, recently signed a Memorandum of Agreement that will improve the availability and reliability of the Eastern Basin Acid Mine Drainage (AMD) plant. The agreement stipulates that TCTA partners with Gold One to solve Eastern Basin crisis the Gold One subsidiary will procure and deliver the critical equipment (submersible motors and spare parts) for exclusive use at the AMD plant by TCTA.

TCTA will be responsible for install ing and maintaining the equipment. As part of the agreement, the equipment is expected to be delivered to the AMD plant in October 2022 and be operational by November 2022. The executive manager for project management and implementa

Kropz CEO Mark Summers to step down at year-end

AIM-Listed emerging African phosphate pro ducer Kropz CEO Mark Summers has decided to step down as CEO at the end of 2022. Ac co r d i ng t o t he company, the board

has commenced a process to appoint a new CEO. Mark Summers, commented: “We have achieved a great deal since I joined in 2015. With Elandsfontein now moving into the oper ational phase, and the way forward at Hinda well-defined, I have decided that the time is right to hand over the reins at Kropz and seek new opportunities.” 

The Eastern Basin AMD plant has not been able to treat acid mine water since February 2022 owing to failure of pump motors.

4  MODERN MINING  August 2022