King River Resources successfully trials its HPA process route using alternative feedstocks

King River Resources Ltd, an Australian mining company has successfully trialled its new high purity alumina (HPA) process route using alternative aluminium chemical feedstocks.

Metallurgical test work is currently underway on both this new precursor and the Speewah precursor to delivering a 4N HPA product at 99.99% pure alumina.

4N HPA is used in a wide range of emerging technologies from mobile phones and LED lighting to lithium-ion batteries.

The major outcome from King River’s state-of-art test work is that the “KRR processing route” can be used on a variety of feedstocks which will permit a processing facility to establish and operate as a stand-alone facility apart from the proposed mining operation at Speewah.

King River is presently examining at the feasibility of constructing a 4N HPA plant in Perth, where access to infrastructure and resources would reduce the company’s capital and permitting requirements.

TSW Analytical completed seven tests on the industrial aluminium compound sourced by King River.

The company’s procedure involved a primary crystallisation stage to precipitate a crude aluminium product which is then purified by two stages of recrystallization to precipitate the HPA precursor compound.

The HPA precursor is of very high purity, with most elements below 1 part per million and may be suitable for the production of 4N (99.99% Al2O3) high purity alumina after calcination and washing.

King River has now turned its attention the next stage of the circuit with test work on the calcination of the HPA precursor at 1250 degrees Celsius to create a ‘4N’ HPA product at 99.99% pure alumina.