Alpha HPA decides on Gladstone for building high purity alumina industrial plant

New South Wales-based $200 million worth advanced manufacturing business Alpha HPA has reportedly selected Gladstone over two potential sites in Newcastle and Kwinana for its high purity alumina industrial plant. Negotiation of final purchase terms for the land with the state government will be done soon. The news came after Queensland’s Minister for Manufacturing Cameron Dick officially announced this on Tuesday, February 11.

While announcing the news, the Minister also spoke about the rapidly-growing market of high purity alumina, mostly driven by the demand for high-technology items like lithium-ion battery separators used in electric vehicles, particularly in Europe and China.

With the port nearby which is export-ready and likely suppliers closeby whose by-product will be used to extract the high purity alumina, Gladstone makes an ideal location for Alpha’s HPA industrial plant, pointed out a member for Gladstone Glenn Butcher.

The site is also within two kilometres of Orica Australia Pty Ltd, which has agreed to supply two chemical reagents to Alpha’s first project. The two companies have reportedly signed a Memorandum of Understanding, whereby pricing mechanisms and volumes have been established subject to negotiation and finalisation of a more definitive Supply and Offtake Agreement.

The chemical reagents will be recycled inside the HPA production process as a by-product, for sale back to the reagent supplier.