A transformational 12 months29 Sep 2020 13:07
It is so easy to get wrapped up in the short term issues whilst being blind to the astonishing transformation that has occurred in the last 12 months. I have no doubt that will start to be reflected in the annual figures due in November, but even more so by the time the first half 2021 figures are delivered. Copper was only spoken about as a possibility a year ago, now we have a credible step up production strategy to reach a target of 24k tonnes of copper cathode a year within 4 years.Who would have thought Leon would be publically predicting that earnings in Zambia will be larger than in South Africa within 2 to 3 years. A year ago the Kabwe tailings project was to be the big one. Just imagine what would have happened to the share price if the project had been significantly delayed as it has with COVID related issues. The fact it is now just an inconvenience, and is in relation to the copper projects of little significance, in itself shows how far Jubilee has come. The management must take a huge amount of credit for not only starting to deliver in general what has been promised, but also to be able to continue operating as though COVID is a minor inconvenience. I am amazed that the small company I knew about 4 years ago is now a trusted partner of one of the biggest chrome mining companies in the world, which is prepared to commit over a million tonnes of its ROM ore a year to Jubilee for a minimum of 3 years and probably much longer. One of my major concerns was the relatively short remaining life of the known resource to feed the PGM cash cow side of the business. No longer. Jubilee will be producing over 1m tonnes of chrome concentrate next year, with not too much exposure to the variable chrome price. The huge feed of upgraded PGM material which will result and be made available to its Inyoni and Windsor operations seems to have slipped under the radar. Now what would complete a very good year? Having a commercial strategy to monetise the PGM upgraded tailings at DCM, a definitive timetable to get the Sable tailings processing underway and meet what must be by now some politically demanding targets from the Zambian authorities. and an exit from the link with BMR, which might be well underway now CB is installed as its new boss. I know Jubilee's 30% shareholding in BMR has in effect enabled it to strongly influence BMR since the lost licence fiasco, but it would be nice to actually see if we can get some tangible consideration back for the £2m of BMR shares Jubilee purchased. In general a very pleased long term shareholder. But please Jubilee get the new PR manager to sort the website out.