Jubilee Platinum and Sylvania Resources have reported encouraging results from initial tests at the former's ConRoast furnace, it emerged yesterday (7th December).

The two companies used the direct current arc facility in South Africa to smelt concentrate, which proved to be low in pgms but high in chrome content.

A pgm recovery rate of 99 per cent was achieved in the trials, with the abundance of chrome failing to impact on the process or the furnace's safety and performance.

"I'm encouraged by the trials and the developing strategic alliance with Jubilee," said Sylvania Managing Director Terry McConachie.

"The growing interaction between our two groups is yielding a range of value-creating opportunities, which are being further evaluated."

In light of the positive results, Sylvania will now test further low-grade concentrates from other dump operations and the bulk-sampling programme at its Grass Valley Platreef resource.

The news appears to vindicate the companies' decision to join forces to explore ConRoast's capabilities after Jubilee acquired the technology with a recent takeover of Braemore Resources.

"Once proven on a larger scale, this [technology] should accelerate the transformation of Sylvania into a mid-tier platinum producer," added Jubilee CEO Colin Bird.

Source:

Jubilee, Sylvania report positive results from smelting trials (07/12/09)

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