Jwaneng Modular Plant (JMP), one of the four plants at Jwaneng Mine, is celebrating a decade of production this year.
The plant’s construction began in April 2012 with the primary objective of processing the tailings accumulated before the Recrush commissioning period (1982–1990). Originally targeted for completion in April 2014, the plant’s launch was delayed until September 2014 due to significant setbacks in steel fabrication.
The plant treated a resource estimated to contain 38 million tons of ore at a grade of 41 carats per hundred tons (CPHT). Designed with a nameplate capacity of 380 tons per hour (tph), the plant was expected to process 2.4 million tons annually at 75 percent operational utilisation (OPU).
However, during commissioning, the plant faced several challenges, including frequent blockages at the front end, issues with thickener capacity and crusher throughput, and failures in major components. These difficulties prevented the plant from achieving its intended nameplate capacity and objectives.
“The project team implemented various interventions to reach nameplate capacity, one of the most significant being the installation of the Kawasaki secondary crusher, which successfully debottlenecked the crushing circuit,” the company stated.
Over the past decade, JMP has undergone numerous enhancements under different management teams, resulting in a steady upward trend in the annual tonnage treated. Production increased from 0.9 million tons in its first operational year (2015) to a record-breaking 3 million tons in 2023.
“This achievement is a testament to the team’s dedication to attaining breakthrough performance,” Debswana noted.
Efforts to address critical delays—such as blockages, tailings availability, conveyor issues, low feed supply, and challenges with pipes, scrubbers, and pumps—have collectively contributed to the plant’s consistent improvements in processing capacity.
One of the most notable achievements has been the reduction in annual blockages, from over 530 hours to just 177 hours in 2023, resulting in improved Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) and maintaining a record of absolute zero harm.
In 2020, Anglo introduced the P101 awards, placing Jwaneng Plants in the Beneficiation Plants category to compete with Anglo plants globally. Jwaneng Mine has consistently dominated these awards, securing podium positions every year since its inception, with JMP winning in three out of the four years.
