Jubilee projects: Implementation of copper processing capacity
Jubilee reports that the increased processing capacity of 25 000 tonnes of copper per annum will be achieved through upgrades to both the Roan Concentrator and the Sable Refinery.
The Roan Concentrator upgrade is now complete, with its front-end module reaching design throughput of 45 tonnes per hour of waste rock feed for an 8-hour continuous period under the supervision of the Jubilee technical team. This milestone has enabled the handover of operations to the Roan operational team to operate the plant on a 24-hour continuous period.
Additionally, the commencement of stable power supply through the LHPC agreement ensures continuous operation of Roan’s front-end module targeting to achieve 30 000 tonnes per month feed rate.
Roan’s front-end module production is expected to start reflecting in the production of Q4 CY2024 as it commences to operate continuously which is in-line with the Company’s copper production forecast.
Roan is now capable of processing both historically mined low grade stockpiled material and previously processed materials simultaneously, with a combined capacity of its front-end module as well as milling and flotation plant of up to 13 000 tonnes of copper per annum (4 500 and 8 500 capacity respectively), depending on the feed grade. Roan will initially be dedicated to processing waste from historical mining operations, upgrading copper materials into a saleable concentrate that can either be sold on the market or further refined at Sable, depending on Sable’s available capacity.
The planned Sable Refinery upgrade marks the final stage in reaching the initial target of a combined 25 000 tonnes of copper processing capacity per annum. This upgrade includes enhancements across several areas of the refinery, culminating in the commissioning of a second tank house for copper cathode plating.
Upon completion, Sable will be capable of producing both copper sulphide concentrates and copper cathode, with a combined output of 16 000 tonnes per annum. The upgrade is currently underway and expected to be fully integrated into the existing operations over the next 10 months with an expected capital investment of US$9 million, confirming the processing capacity of 25 000 tonnes annually. The Company’s focus is now shifting towards bringing secured copper resources into full production to fully utilise this upgraded capacity in line with the production forecast which assumes that the impact of the capacity upgrades will reflect during H2 FY2025.
