Jubilee Platinum and Mintek have successfully completed the development program for the ConRoast smelting process. In March 2010 the demonstration DC-arc furnace passed the significant milestone of smelting 45,000 t of material containing PGMs as part of the program. Consequently, treatment of material in the Mintek facility for demonstration purposes has ceased, so that Jubilee can focus on the commercialisation of the technology. The process is an environmentally friendly and safe way of smelting PGM concentrates, especially for the troublesome high-chromium concentrates emanating from the UG2 Reef in South Africa.
Abiel Mgomuzulu, CEO of Mintek, said “The successful conclusion of the R&D phase for the ConRoast smelting solution, affirms Mintek’s successful track record of forming partnerships with industry for the development of technologies that provides solutions to the challenges faced by the Mining and Minerals industry. Mintek remains committed to this process and will continue with technical support to Jubilee as they commercialise the ConRoast process.”
Colin Bird, CEO of Jubilee, said “Jubilee is delighted that the R&D phase has been successfully concluded. The ConRoast process has throughout its development phase demonstrated that it is an environmentally friendlier, safer and more efficient processing solution than the traditional matte-collection furnaces for the recovery of PGMs from chrome rich concentrates. To date the demonstration facility at Mintek has achieved the necessary results confirming that the ConRoast smelting route is the industry solution for chrome rich concentrates. We thank Mintek for the support as our technical partner and look forward to our ongoing relationship during and after the commercialisation phase.”
As part of the conclusion of the R&D program, Mintek and Jubilee have agreed that ownership of the Braemore-installed demonstration plant at Mintek will pass to Mintek. The furnace has been in operation for the past six years, primarily acting as a large-scale demonstration unit for Mintek’s patented ConRoast process, to which Braemore Platinum, a wholly owned subsidiary of Jubilee, holds the exclusive worldwide rights.
Since October 2007, the enlarged demonstration furnace at Mintek has been treating a wide range of PGM-bearing feed materials on behalf of Braemore. These final trials marked the conclusion of a very successful development period during which ConRoast established itself as the new, safe and environmentally friendly smelting solution for PGM containing concentrates. Braemore has funded the further development of ConRoast through pilot plant test work at Mintek and overseas as well as the expansion of the smelting facilities at Mintek. Consequently Braemore holds the exclusive rights to ConRoast for the roasting, smelting and downstream refining of PGM-containing feed materials.
Mintek will continue to investigate opportunities to use the facility for a combination of further development work, process demonstration, for revenue-generating and training purposes. This work will assist in establishing further opportunities for the use of DC-arc furnace technology, especially with regard to facilitating opportunities related to junior and black-economic-empowered entities.