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JUBILEE METALS GROUP PLC - Quarterly Operations Update

Release Date: 30/01/2018 15:45
Code(s): JBL     PDF:  
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Quarterly Operations Update

Jubilee Metals Group Plc
(“Registration number: 4459850”)
AIM share code: JLP
AltX share code: JBL
ISIN: GB0031852162
(“Jubilee” or “the Company”)

Quarterly Operations Update



Jubilee is pleased to announce an operations update for its metals recovery division, Jubilee
Processing Proprietary Limited (“JPL”) for Q4 2017.
Highlights

   -   Hernic operational earnings increased 94 % to GBP 0.97 million (ZAR 17.47 million)
       (Q3 2017: GBP 0.50 million (ZAR 8.60 million))
   -    Hernic unit cost per PGM ounce produced reduced to USD 382 (Q3 2017: USD 476)
   -   Hernic PGM(1) production up 31 % to 3 755 ounces (Q3 2017: 2 874 ounces)
   -   Hernic project revenue up 33 % to GBP 2.05 million (ZAR 37.01 million) (Q3 2017:
       GBP 1.54 million (ZAR 26.58 million))
   -    JPL operations revenue up 24 % to GBP 3.30 million (ZAR 59.87 million) (Q3 2017:
       GBP 2.67 million (ZAR 46.11 million))
   -   JPL operations earnings up 43 % to GBP 1.22 million (ZAR 22.12 million) (Q3 2017:
       GBP 0.85 million (ZAR 14.73 million))
(1) = Platinum Group Metals (6E platinum, palladium, rhodium, iridium, osmium, and gold)



Leon Coetzer, Chief Executive commented:

“The Jubilee team has delivered an exceptional performance despite the traditional operational
slowdown over the festive period.

Our Hernic operation has continued to deliver significant operational improvements quarter on
quarter, this despite the budgeted increased maintenance and operational slow down over the
festive period.

We have implemented necessary process upgrades at our DCM operations to allow for a more
flexible operation to expand the processing of 3rd party material. We will also be implementing
operational efficiency enhancements developed by our in-house technical teams. I look forward to
rolling-out these enhancements across our project portfolio.

Our due diligence on the Kabwe project is progressing well with the second round of leach tests
concluded, which have confirmed the high recoverability of the lead, zinc and vanadium contained in
the surface resource. I expect to receive the metal refining results shortly and then to be in a
position to conclude our way forward on the project.”
       HERNIC OVERVIEW

       The Hernic operations performance continued to improve significantly quarter on quarter
       despite the extended plant maintenance and operational slow down during the festive
       period.
       The Q4 2017 data shows a further sharp increase in project earnings coupled with a drop in
       unit cost to below the USD400 per PGM ounce making the Hernic project one of the lowest
       cost platinum producers in the industry.
       The overall debt incurred towards the construction and commissioning of the Hernic project
       has, to date, reduced to GBP 2.10 million (68 % reduction).
       The table below presents the comparative quarterly performance of the Hernic operation
       for 2017:

                                                                                                              Jubilee           Jubilee
                Tailings        PGM           Project          Project         Project         Project                                         Unit cost /
                                                      1)               2)               3)                 attributable      attributable
               processed       ounces       revenue (        revenue(         earnings(       earnings                                          PGM oz
                                                                                                             earnings          earnings
                tonnes        delivered     (GBP'000)        (ZAR'000)        (GBP'000)      (ZAR'000)                                           (USD)
                                                                                                            (GBP'000)         (ZAR'000)

Total Q2
                 80 828          808            459            7.604              (110)       (1.928)          (110)            (1.928)               901
2017
Total Q3
                105 673         2 874          1.539           26.581             496         8.592             496              8.592                476
2017
Total Q4
                121 644         3 755          2.047           37.011             965         17.466            965             17.466                382
2017
Total 2017      308 145         7 437          4.045           71.196           1.351         24.130           1.351            24.130                475



                                Revenue /        Unit cost /
                                                                     Earnings /
       Project                   PGM oz           PGM oz              PGM oz
       Summary                    (USD)            (USD)               (USD)

       Q4 2017                      724               382               342


       (1)= Revenue from the current project phase - 100% attributable to Jubilee until full capital recovery. Revenue is projected based on latest
           average PGM market prices and USD exchange rates and results are only final once final Quotational Period has passed
       (2)= Average monthly conversion rates used
       (3)= Project Earnings include all incurred operational costs including management services and mineral royalties



       DCM overview
       The DCM operational performance was affected by a significant plant upgrade of the
       chrome recovery circuit. The plant upgrade was both to further increase the operational
       flexibility of the chrome recovery circuit as well as to increase the crushing capacity for the
       processing of 3rd party run-of-mine material (“ROM”). The improved processing flexibility
       was required to compensate for the increased feed variance introduced by the processing of
       3rd party ROM. The chrome processing plant upgrades interrupted processing of the ROM
       material for approximately 8 weeks before resuming in January 2018.
             The new fully commissioned crushing capacity now offers DCM the opportunity to process a
             wider variety of feed material without sacrificing overall plant throughput.
             A further processing upgrade to enhance the recovery of very fine chrome from tailings will
             be implemented during Q1 2018. This process upgrade was developed and tested by
             Jubilee’s internal process development arm and holds significant business benefits for the
             wider Jubilee tailings retreatment projects. The process enhancements are expected to
             significantly improve the overall recovery of chrome from tailings.
             Project earnings numbers for Q4 exclude project related capital costs (previously expensed
             through the operating cost and now capitalised by DCM) as per the updated contractual
             relationship with DCM. Despite the plant upgrades, project earnings from chrome for Q4
             2017 remained positive. Jubilee’s reduced attributable earnings reflect the interruption in
             the processing of 3rd party ROM.
             The table below presents the operational quarterly performance of the DCM operation for
             2017:


                                                                                                                               Jubilee        Jubilee
                   Chromite                                                                      Jubilee        Jubilee       working        working
                                      Project        Project     Project            Project
                  concentrate                                1)           2)                  attributable   attributable   capital loan   capital loan
                                     revenue       revenue (    earnings(          earnings
                   produced                                                                     earnings       earnings     repayments     repayments
                                    (GBP'000)       (ZAR'000) (GBP’000)           (ZAR’000)
                    tonnes                                                                     (GBP’000)      (ZAR’000)       received       received
                                                                                                                             (GBP’000)      (ZAR’000)
Total Q1
                     14 973           3.372          55.223          2.407         39.400         408           6.664            -              -
2017
Total Q2
                     17 659           1.348          22.731           386           6.504         399           6.727           175           3.334
2017
Total Q3
                     15 134           1.129          19.526           184           3.173         356           6.139            -              -
2017
Total Q4
                     11 788           1.254          22.858           508           9.307         254           4.654            -              -
2017
Total 2017           59 554           7.103         120.338          3.485         58.384        1.417         24.184           175           3.334

             (1)= Average monthly conversion rates used
             (2) = Project earnings include project expenditure on plant and equipment



             Project Pipe-Line

             Jubilee continues to refine its project execution schedule for the various pipe-line surface
             processing projects. These pipe-line projects offer significant growth potential in the short
             term (2 years) and we continue to actively pursue further opportunities.


             DCM Platinum Project
             Jubilee conducted an in depth review for the recovery of platinum at DCM. The review
             included several pilot and full commercial size trials to evaluate the possible joint venturing
             (“JV”) with neighbouring platinum producers to benefit from their existing infrastructure.
             Jubilee was unable to reach a commercially acceptable agreement with the potential JV
             partners. Jubilee has concluded that a dedicated process plant for Dilokong is the optimal
commercial strategy and will target to commence execution of the project during Q2 2018
depending on regulatory approvals to commence construction. A processing plant targeting
approximately 10 000 PGM ounces per annum is envisaged.
Funding for the project will be secured via the existing project debt funding agreement that
Jubilee secured with Riverfort Capital and Jubilee’s current cash position.


Kabwe Project

The Company’s on-going due diligence of the Kabwe project has confirmed our
understanding of the significant size and quality of the various surface assets. We have
completed further metal recovery trials, which again confirmed the leachability of the zinc,
lead and the vanadium. Our final circuit trials are focussing on the refining of the leached
metals, which we expect to conclude over the next two weeks, in order to confirm the
refining processing strategy. We are working with the BMR team to establish the optimal
recovery route for extracting the metals both from a commercial perspective as well as in an
environmentally responsible manner.


PlatCro Platinum Project
Jubilee is currently engaged in the PlatCro option study. Similar to the DCM study, the
option study includes laboratory and pilot plant trials. The final round of the plant trials has
been concluded with results expected in the short term.
Jubilee looks forward to updating its shareholders on the execution time-lines for these
exciting projects.




30 January 2018

This announcement contains inside information for the purposes of Article 7 of EU Regulation
596/2014.

The financial information in this announcement is unaudited.


Contacts

Jubilee Metals Group plc

Colin Bird/Leon Coetzer
Tel +44 (0) 20 7584 2155 / Tel +27 (0) 11 465 1913
Andrew Sarosi
Tel +44 (0)1752 221937

JSE Sponsor

Sasfin Capital, (a member of the Sasfin group)
Sharon Owens
Tel +27 (0) 11 809 7500

Nominated Adviser

SPARK Advisory Partners Limited
Mark Brady/Andrew Emmott
Tel: +44 (0) 203 368 3555

Broker

Beaufort Securities Limited
Jon Belliss
Tel: +44 (0) 20 7382 8300

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