JOHANNESBURG (miningweekly.com) – Copper 360 is mourning the loss of Jan Nelson, one of its founders and the driving force behind the JSE-listed company and several other mining companies ahead of that.

Since September 2024, Nelson, who would have turned 56 on June 7 this year, mounted a courageous fight with cancer, meeting this journey with the same strength, dignity, and determination that defined his leadership and his life, Copper 360 reports on LinkedIn.

“Jan was more than a founder. He was a visionary, a builder, and a believer in what was possible, even when the road ahead was uncertain. His courage, integrity, and unwavering commitment shaped not only the company we are today, but also the people within it.

“He led with purpose, inspired with conviction, and built a legacy rooted in values that will continue to guide Copper 360 forward.

“We are profoundly grateful for his leadership, his passion, and the mark he leaves on our Company and on all who had the privilege of working alongside him.

“Our deepest condolences go to his family, friends, and loved ones during this difficult time. May his legacy live on,” Copper 360 adds.

Nelson matriculated at Helpmekaar Boys High School in Johannesburg and obtained a BSc (Hons) Geology from the University of Johannesburg. His first job was as Postgraduate geologist at Gold Fields.

Copper 360, under Nelson’s leadership, listed on the AltX of the JSE in 2023 with more than two-million tonnes of copper at its 12 mines, which was worth R560-billion.

That copper is shallow, on surface and pre-developed, an upbeat Nelson outlined during a presentation to the Junior Indaba later that year.

The Rietberg underground mine alone was said to have has 25 000 t of copper metal to mine, worth R1.4-billion.

Chaired at the time by Shirley Hayes, Copper 360 had 629-million shares in issue, a market capitalisation of R2.5-billion, with the 15% to 20% of its shares in free float experiencing considerable liquidity.

As South Africa’s only junior copper producer at the time, it had no peer group in the country. Its predeveloped resource was seen to be positioning the company for a capital expenditure and operational expenditure advantage over any new entrant, and the R260-million it had raised in South Africa was confirmed as being sufficient for envisaged expansions.

Focus on simplicity, reliability, high margins and high returns were outlined by Nelson as being positives in its favour in not experiencing any capital raising problems in South Africa for the development of South African mineral assets.

In-house engineering capability plans, designs, pilots, and then scales up. Its investors appear to like that model, which generates cash flow fast and results in high margins.

What was also viewed as giving Copper 360 advantage was its cluster mining model deployed over the nearly 19 000 ha hosting the dozen mines and 60 prospects with a collective 200-year post-drilling life-of-mine.

It was described as having a centralised modular plug-and-play processing facility at Nababeep and all the sources of ore that feed into it, as well as a solvent extraction and electrowinning facility for the production of copper plate from rock sources left behind by US mining major Newmont and former copper miner Gold Fields, companies that formerly mined in the area, which was once one of the world’s major copper districts.

Newmont developed an underground mine that goes down 2 km. There are more than 30 mines in a tectonic environment of large forgotten copper deposits.

“We’re just picking that up, putting it through the plant, making copper plates, and then we neutralise our discard, pump it back into the underground holes and fill up all the old underground mines. So, from that perspective, we’re also cleaning up the environment,” Nelson pointed out at the time.

“Our operations are green and clean and the rocks left behind there are some of the rocks we are processing, so no mining is required. This is all the rock that was left behind by Newmont and Gold Fields, running at between 1% and 5% copper.

“We’ve just discovered in our Wheal Julia openpit area we’ve got an area of 150 m by 100 m on surface running at an average grade of 5% copper, with 9%, 10% and 8% copper on surface.

“We’ve got a couple of these anomalies that we’ll trace up and drill in the next coming months but this certainly will put South Africa back on the map as one of the major copper districts,” added Nelson in the Junior Indaba presentation covered by Mining Weekly.

Nelson was leading the copper mining comeback of the O’Kiep Copper District (OCD) of the Northern Cape after a hiatus of more than four decades.

A geologist by profession, Nelson was one of the more colourful characters in South Africa's mining industry. He came to prominence while running Pan African Resources which he developed from a 'wild cat' exploration outfit into a junior miner of note.

This was the profile that Mining Weekly published on Nelson in 2010.

Full Name: Jan Petrus Nelson

Position: CEO of Pan African Resources

Main Activity of the Company: Gold mining

Date and Place of Birth: Johannesburg, June 7, 1970

Education: Matric, Helpmekaar Boys High School; BSc (Hons) Geology, University of Johannesburg

First Job: Postgraduate geologist at Gold Fields

Size of First Pay Packet: R6 500 a month

Value of Company Assets: R1.8-billion

Number of People under Your Leadership: 2 250

Management Style: Empowering people by placing value on ability, worth, drive, passion, teamwork and selling the dream of success

Personal Best Achievement: Catching an 80-lb tarpon in Costa Rica

Person Who Has Had the Biggest Influence on Your Career: Rob Still and Bernard Swanepoel (impossible to distinguish between them)

Person You Would Most Like to Meet: Nelson Mandela

Businessperson Who Has Impressed You Most: Rob Still

Philosophy of Life: Treat life as a big adventure and do not spoil this experience for other people

Biggest Ever Opportunity: When my wife agreed to marry me

Biggest Ever Disappointment: Not completing my PhD

Hope for the Future: That all South Africans receive a proper education and are able to improve their quality of life

Favourite Reading: Deon Meyer

Favourite TV Programme: Top Gear

Favourite Food/Drink: Sushi/gin and tonic

Favourite Music: Rock

Favourite Sport: Rugby

Hobbies: Sailing, fishing, surfing and off-road motor biking

Car: BMW X5

Pets: Two Labradors and two mine cats

Dislikes: Speed limits

Married: To Elke

Children: Ivan, 9; Emilie, 6

Clubs: Royal Cape Yacht Club