Alpha HPA to develop $300m Gladstone high purity alumina plant

Critical metals producer Alpha HPA will go ahead with its $300 million second stage of its Gladstone high purity alumina facility following Queensland government support through a $21 million Industry Partnership Program grant.

The company’s Stage 1 Precursor Production Facility (PPF, pictured) is already in operation producing utilising its proprietary licensed solvent extraction and refining technology to produce 99.99 percent pure aluminium products in commercial quantities.

The plant is producing 5N (99.99 percent) purity aluminium-nitrate, with plans to extend to aluminium sulfate, High Purity Alumina (HPA, Al2O3), nano HPA and high purity aluminium hydroxides.

Stage 1 is capable of producing 10,000 tonnes of HPA equivalent per year, with Alpha HPA forging a partnership with fertiliser and explosives business Orica.

HPA is used in lithium ion batteries to improve the batteries’ performance, reliability and safety and in the manufacture of LED lights and semiconductors.

The Stage 2 plant will create up to 117 jobs and stronger supply chain links between critical mineral production and manufacturing, according to Acting Premier Steven Miles.

Miles said: “Investments like Alpha HPA’s are growing Queensland’s critical minerals processing capability and ensuring new industries have the materials to deliver safe, sustainable, high performing products to market.”

Alpha HPA Managing Director Rimas Kairaitis welcomed the State’s recognition of opportunities in the production and processing of critical minerals for new-economy products.

Kairaitis said: “Assistance through the government’s Industry Partnership Program for the HPA First Project builds further momentum for the project and further growth of local supply chains.

“In 2021 we signed the Central Queensland Statement of Cooperation with the Queensland Government, this commitment provided certainty for established and new industries in the Gladstone region to contribute to the goal of net zero emissions manufacturing.”

Picture: Alpha HPA