Mining exploration and development company Jubilee Platinum has reached operational temperatures at the company’s new 5 MW ac furnace, in Middelburg, which is now moving towards full production of 2 400 t/m of ferroalloy feedstock.

The new furnace provides additional capacity, which could potentially generate additional monthly revenues of around R6-million in ferroalloy production.

Jubilee Platinum acquired the furnace after entering into an agreement with foundry, component engineering and production company Thos Begbie & Company for a 70% stake in Thos Begbie Holdings (TBH), which owned the smelting facility, for $10-million in cash, in May last year.

The new furnace also introduces the State-owned Mintek-developed ConRoast technology, which has been exclusively licensed to Jubilee’s 100%-owned Braemore Resources subsidiary until 2020.

Though meant to process high-chrome platinum-group metals (PGMs) material, demand is so strong for ferronickel – used in stainless steel production – that the initial ConRoast furnace will produce ferronickel instead.

A second 5 MW ConRoast furnace will be commissioned in November to process high-chrome PGMs material. Aligned with the two existing 2.5 MW ac furnaces, the new 5 MW ac furnace effectively doubles the furnace capacity on site at Middelburg to 10 MW.

Meanwhile, Jubilee reports “exceptional results” from PGMs flotation recovery testwork carried out on representative upper group two (UG2) chromitite reef drill core samples from its Tjate platinum project, on the eastern limb of the Bushveld Complex, as part of its ongoing prefeasibility study.

Jubilee Platinum CEO Leon Coetzer says the Tjate testwork results continue to add value to the project, supported by the company’s ability to process high-chrome-containing platinum concentrates.

Eight UG2 reef drill core samples were tested at the laboratories of Maelgwyn Mineral Services Africa to determine the most efficient recoverability of the platinum group elements (PGEs) in the reef.

The results achieved indicate excellent consistent recoveries in excess of 90% of 4E (platinum, palladium, rhodium and gold) to flotation concentrate, while maintaining a concentrate grade of above 290 g/t.

The results were achieved by not constraining the recovery of PGEs to limit the recovery of chrome in the concentrate. The results clearly demonstrate the potential for high recoveries from UG2 ores when not constrained by considerations around limiting the chrome levels in concentrate.

Coetzer notes this approach is only feasible owing to the proven ability of Jubilee’s ConRoast smelting process, which allows it to smelt platinum concentrates containing high levels of chrome.

The company believes that as much as 4% higher PGE recovery is possible, and would be achievable in commercial practice from the UG2 ore by producing platinum concentrate containing high chrome for further smelting in the ConRoast process.

Jubilee Platinum is actively negotiating with interested committed entities to secure funding for an integrated approach towards completing both the prefeasibility and a bankable feasibility study.