Jubilee Metals has completed its annual maintenance shutdown at the Roan concentrator in Luanshya, Zambia, with operations now restarted at full capacity and targeting a run-of-mine (RoM) throughput of 30,000 tonnes per month.
The restart marks an important milestone in the company’s strategy to expand copper production in Zambia while improving operational efficiencies amid rising input costs.
Jubilee CEO Leon Coetzer said June’s operational performance would provide a clearer indication of the plant’s sustainable processing capacity and recovery efficiencies, particularly following the integration of fine copper concentrate processing at the company’s Sable refinery in Kabwe.
Monthly fine concentrate production currently includes approximately 140 tonnes of copper that had previously been stockpiled at Roan and is now being progressively reprocessed as part of the operation’s broader optimisation programme.
As part of its ongoing expansion plans, Jubilee is evaluating additional optimisation initiatives, including the potential activation of the front-end dense medium separation (DMS) circuit during June. The company believes the circuit could further enhance throughput and improve overall processing efficiencies at Roan.
A key development during the period was the successful commissioning of the newly installed fine copper concentrate dewatering facility. Performance calibration is currently underway to establish stable continuous operation and maximise recovery rates.
The dewatering circuit is a critical component of Jubilee’s integrated copper processing strategy, enabling efficient handling of fine concentrate streams that account for approximately 25% of the total contained copper in the RoM feed processed at Roan.
During the planned shutdown, Jubilee implemented several operational improvements designed to counter increasing production costs, particularly higher fuel and acid prices.
Among the most significant upgrades was the expansion of the copper oxide recovery circuit, which is expected to improve copper recovery efficiency by approximately 5%.
The enhancement is expected to partially offset the impact of a near 80% increase in local fuel costs, which have substantially increased expenses related to ore transportation to Roan and concentrate transport to the Sable refinery.
According to the company, acid consumption and transport costs represent approximately 20% and 16% of monthly operating expenses, respectively, underscoring the importance of efficiency improvements in protecting operating margins.
Maintenance activities undertaken during the shutdown focused on the run-of-mine feed circuit, internal pumping systems within the flotation units and final modifications to the new dewatering system.
The company reported that the dewatering facility has already demonstrated an ability to operate above current production levels, providing sufficient capacity to accommodate future expansion plans. Additional optimisation work remains underway to ensure stable performance under varying feed density conditions.
Jubilee also maintains substantial stockpiles of naturally dried fine concentrate that can be transported to Sable should temporary disruptions occur in fresh concentrate production.
Coetzer described the successful commissioning and ramp-up of the dewatering circuit as a significant step in advancing Jubilee’s Zambian copper growth strategy.
He said the ability to process both newly generated and historical fine concentrate material improves operational flexibility, strengthens the company’s integrated processing model and supports the continued scaling of copper production across its Zambian operations.
The restart of Roan and the ongoing optimisation initiatives position Jubilee to increase copper production while improving operational resilience in a challenging cost environment.
