Alpha HPA presses ahead with large scale battery precursor plant

Aluminium chemicals company Alpha HPA’s pilot Stage 1 factory at Gladstone, Queensland is producing 1,200 kgs of battery precursor materials per week even as the company advances construction of its adjacent $550 million high purity alumina plant (pictured).

The large scale plant utilises the latest in process control systems and automation in a facility capable of producing 10,000 tonnes of HPA equivalent per year.

The company confirmed that Stage 1 production was servicing orders for the semiconductor sector and producing sapphire glass for the laser optics market, as well as continuing direct lithium extraction.

Market building continues with large scale battery end-user qualification near completion with 64 individual test orders received from potential customers in the September quarter, including high volume product test orders.

Orders have included a 500kg HPA sale order for LED phosphor manufacture to an EU based end-user, to be completed in early October 2024.

Alpha HPA’s Managing Director Rimas Kairaitis said: “Alpha continues to make steady and positive progress on the commercialisation path. We are particularly pleased with the continued and expanding market engagement with Alpha’s unique high purity product offering and the excellent work by our team in continuing to deliver test and sale predicts to end-users.”

Stage 2 of the HPA First Project now underway will be the world’s largest, single site facility for the manufacture of high purity aluminium materials.

Following a ground-breaking ceremony, earthworks and utilities connections are well underway, according to the company.

“Engineering and Procurement activities are progressing to finalise major equipment vendor data and secure delivery dates.

“The Stage 2 Project team is accelerating final process area design and continue to award long lead critical path packages, with the most recent including rotary dryers and calciners.”

During September, a further $14.85 million was received as a milestone payment from the $45.0 million Commonwealth Government Modern Manufacturing Initiative (MMI) grant.

Further reading:
Alpha HPA commits $550m to battery materials plant
Alpha HPA battery anode plant nears completion

Picture: HPA First Project site looking southwest, showing earthworks well advanced, Stage 1 PPF and Orica Yarwun to the right of picture