Braemore Resources and Jubilee Platinum, both junior platinum miners, have entered into a binding Heads of Agreement. Braemore will provide smelting and refining facilities as part of its commercialisation strategy to process platinum group element (PGE) concentrates, the source of which Jubilee has the rights to recover. This agreement provides a vehicle for Braemore and Jubilee to exploit the synergies between the two companies and demonstrates the commercial viability of the Braemore offering, which includes the ConRoast smelting process.

The value of PGE concentrates from tailings will be enhanced by ensuring exposure to downstream beneficiation and upside value. Both Braemore and Jubilee believe that this technology will provide considerable enhancement to the smelting and refining of PGE concentrates as opposed to the conventional route. The development of the ConRoast process for PGMs over the past 12 years has been focused on improving the environment aspects (in terms of lower SO₂ emissions) of PGM smelting, as well as the ability to treat PGM-containing materials that have very high chromium contents. This process was developed by Braemore and its technology partner Mintek. 

Leon Coetzer, CEO of Braemore, said: “This is a new dawn in Braemore’s evolution. We are no longer a technology or development company, the acceleration of ConRoast’s commercialisation is now well underway.”

Colin Bird, CEO of Jubilee, commented: “This agreement is a key step in ensuring we maximise returns across the mining process for Jubilee shareholders and we see the Jubilee-Braemore alliance as an important step for our short term production mission.”