Rosh Pinah Zinc in Namibia and Appian Capital Advisory Ltd have announced the commissioning of the new SAG mill at the project. Replacing the existing ball mill, it is the final major processing component of the RP2.0 expansion project.
The SAG mill is from Metso and has a 7m diameter. Its commissioning completes the core processing infrastructure of RP2.0 and means that processing throughput doubles from 0.7 Mt/y to 1.4 Mt/y following mine ramp-up. RP2.0 now over 95% complete, on schedule and on budget.
The statement said it delivers a step-change in annual zinc and lead concentrate production. Its commissioning brings the full RP2.0 circuit into operation as an integrated system, incorporating the paste fill and water treatment plants and expanded flotation (entire new Zn circuit), thickening and filtration capacity.
The revised flowsheet enhances comminution efficiency and resilience, delivering improved grind size control and metallurgical recovery while lowering unit operating costs. Ore is crushed to a coarser product size ahead of the SAG mill, reducing dust generation throughout the crushing circuit and improving working conditions, environmental performance and on-site material handling.
The SAG mill increases RPZ’s processing capacity and enhances the plant’s ability to treat harder ore types, which become more prevalent as mining progresses. In addition, the SAG mill has been designed with excess capacity, providing the potential for future production increases.
The expanded processing capacity extends the operation’s economic life and improves resource utilisation across the orebody, strengthening RPZ as a long-life base metals project in Namibia. RP2.0 comprises further development of the underground mine, including the newly developed WF3 portal and decline, as well as the construction of new surface facilities. The project continues to advance on schedule and on budget, with overall construction progress now surpassing 95%.
The project has been executed with an exemplary safety record, achieving over 2,000,000 lost-time injury (LTI)-free hours to date.
Ignacio Bustamante, CEO of Base Metals at Appian, added: “Commissioning the SAG mill marks the completion of our core processing infrastructure and reflects the quality of execution by the RPZ team throughout the RP2.0 program. With the full circuit now operational, the project is positioned to achieve a step-change in production output. This milestone demonstrates Appian and RPZ’s commitment to value-accretive, operationally rigorous project delivery, and we look forward to realizing the full benefits of RP2.0 as throughput ramps up.”