Jupiter reports strong fourth-quarter output
Jupiter Mines, which holds a 49.9% beneficial interest in Tshipi é Ntle Manganese Mining – the operator of the Tshipi manganese mine in South Africa's Northern Cape province – achieved quarter-on-quarter increases in sales and production for the quarter ended June 30.
The mine produced 966 183 t of manganese in the June quarter, which was the fourth quarter of Jupiter’s 2026 financial year. Output was 14% higher than in the third quarter of the year and 23% higher than in the fourth quarter of the 2025 financial year.
Sales volumes for the quarter increased by 12% quarter-on-quarter, taking full-year sales to 3.5-million tonnes, exceeding the expected sales volumes and the historical average of 3.4-million tonnes of sales a year.
Tshipi’s earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation increased by 6% quarter-on-quarter, but decreased by 16% year-on-year to A$34.2-million in the fourth quarter.
Meanwhile, logistics volumes for the quarter increased by 3%, compared with the third quarter.
Jupiter CEO Brad Rogers commented during a call with analysts and the media, on July 31, that the Tshipi mine, once again, did not have to make use of roads to haul manganese to South Africa’s ports for export.
However, manganese was transported by road to the Lüderitz port, in Namibia, for export.
Rogers noted that the company ships about 700 000 t to 800 000 t of manganese through the Namibian port, which is significantly closer to the Tshipi mine than the Port Elizabeth port, in South Africa.
He said that the company would like to ship more manganese – up to one-million tonnes a year – through the Namibian port, but this was not yet as cost-effective as shipping through South Africa’s ports.