Alpha HPA's battery anode plant is nearing completion

Alpha HPA, a key aluminium materials manufacturer, is close to finishing upgrades at its small-scale commercial high purity alumina (HPA) production facility in Gladstone, Queensland.

These improvements are supported by a $15.5 million grant from the federal government's Critical Minerals Development Programme. The upgrades include the addition of an HPA circuit, which comprises an HPA tunnel kiln, five rotary kilns, a jet mill room, a rolls crusher, and a rooftop solar array.

These new facilities will enable Alpha to meet product orders from various customers, such as the South Korean semiconductor industry and the production of sintered HPA tablets used in sapphire glass manufacturing. Sapphire glass is an exceptionally pure glass used in optical devices and mobile phone screens.

Alpha HPA has already produced 2,000 tonnes of aluminium nitrate battery anode precursor and 200 tonnes of 99.99 per cent pure aluminium nitrate (5N). They expect to fully commission the HPA circuits by the end of October 2023, and this will lead to:

• Increased production of aluminium nitrate and aluminium sulfate.
• An additional production capacity of 15 tonnes per annum (tpa) of HPA.
• The production of nano HPA to meet the needs of semiconductor customers.
• The capacity to produce an extra 10 tpa of high purity boehmite for lithium-ion batteries.
• The capacity to produce up to 25 tpa of high purity alumina-trihydrate.
• The production of HPA tablets for synthetic sapphire glass production.

Alpha HPA is also advancing towards securing project financing for a Stage 2 HPA project, which is in preparation for a final investment decision by the company.