IN a bid to fortify its presence in Zambia’s thriving copper industry, UK’s Jubilee Metals Group has announced a strategic initiative to escalate copper production to 25,000 tonnes annually. This ambitious move is anticipated to bolster Jubilee’s foothold in the region’s copper market significantly.
At the forefront of these efforts is the completion of a state-of-the-art 50,000-tonne per month front-end modular unit at the Roan Concentrator. Crafted by Jubilee’s Technical Services team based in South Africa, this unit is poised to revolutionize operations at Roan, enabling the processing of over 1,000 tonnes per month of copper contained in concentrates upon deployment in Zambia.
Furthermore, optimisation endeavours at Roan have yielded remarkable results, with the copper sulphide concentrate’s copper content soaring from 20 percent to over 25 percent. This enhancement not only augments revenue potential but also ensures uninterrupted production during the module’s installation phase.
Simultaneously, Jubilee is ramping up operations at its Sable Refinery, with plans underway for an expansion of its copper sulphide concentrate circuit. This expansion, set to commence construction in the second quarter of 2024, aims to boost capacity to 16,000 tonnes per annum of copper in cathode and concentrates, complementing the existing copper cathode production from oxide ore.
Jubilee’s progress extends to the Munkoyo project, where significant headway has been made, including the signing of a copper ore offtake agreement with a neighbouring mining entity. Preliminary trials at Sable Refinery utilising 80,000 tonnes of run-of-mine material from Munkoyo have revealed promising copper ore grades ranging from 1.5 percent to 3 percent, hinting at the potential for a substantial copper resource along a 1km strike.
In a strategic manoeuvre last November, Jubilee secured one of Zambia’s largest copper waste rock assets and formed a partnership with Abu Dhabi-headquartered International Resources Holding. Independently verified to contain a minimum of 260 million tonnes of historical waste rock, this asset showcases promising copper grades above 1.5 percent, as indicated by Jubilee’s sampling efforts.
Leon Coetzer, CEO of Jubilee Metals Group, expressed his optimism regarding these developments, stating, ‘At Munkoyo, early test work has uncovered excellent copper grades from what was previously deemed an uneconomic source of copper. The discovery of this new copper anomaly holds the potential to emerge as a sustainable supply source for our Sable Refinery. Munkoyo epitomises Jubilee’s proficiency in transforming abandoned surface projects into viable opportunities through processing excellence.’
Coetzer added, ‘At Roan, I am pleased to announce the completion of the new modular front-end unit, underscoring our commitment to operational excellence. With these initiatives, Jubilee remains firmly on track to achieve its initial target of 25,000 tonnes of copper per annum.’
In December 2023, Jubilee secured approximately £13 million ($16.6 million) in funding to support its ongoing projects in Zambia, particularly focused on copper extraction from waste rock dumps, signalling the company’s dedication to sustainable resource utilisation and operational efficiency.