Orbite announces HPA plant construction, commissioning & start-up updates

<p>Orbite Technologies Inc. today provided an update on construction, commissioning and start-up of its high purity alumina (HPA) plant. Activities are progressing according to schedule as communicated previously.<br /><br /><strong>HPA Plant Construction</strong><br /><br />&bull; Fjordtech Industries Inc., who were awarded the contract for the remaining piping mechanical work, are proceeding well. Installation of the piping for the plant's cooling water system is complete and the system start-up was successful. Fjordtech has commenced on the crystallization sector piping installation, and the installation of the piping for the digestion sector.<br />&bull; The remaining electrical and instrumentation work, awarded to Electro Kingsey, is also proceeding as per plan, and is being completed concurrently with the completion of the piping installation by Fjordtech.<br />&bull; Isolation Morissette has completed the insulation work on the steam piping and the calcination system (decomposer &amp; calciner). Overall insulation work is now 85 per cent complete.<br />&bull; All other construction is complete (civil and structural, major mechanical installation, decomposer and calciner installation, and ventilation).<br /><br /><strong>Commissioning &amp; Start-up</strong><br /><br />&bull; As reported on July 28th, commissioning and cold start-up activities of the decomposer and calciner units were completed successfully, and alumina product (SGA) was successfully fluidized in both reactors. Up to 5 tonnes per day was successfully transferred from the decomposer to the calciner via the sealpot assembly system.<br />&bull; Commissioning and start-up of the cooling water system was completed as planned.<br />&bull; Field service personnel from Outotec (decomposer and calciner) and Sandvik (calciner system heating elements) was mobilized on site the week of August 1st for the commissioning and start-up of the steam superheater and the heating elements in the calciner and decomposer.<br />&bull; Commissioning and start-up of the steam superheater was successfully completed, and operational temperatures and flows were achieved.<br />&bull; Commissioning and start-up of the heating elements in the calciner and decomposer was completed successfully.<br />&bull; Commissioning of the decomposer and calciner scrubber system is ongoing, and will be followed shortly by the initial heating up of the decomposer and calciner.<br /><br />"Commissioning and start-up of plant sub-systems have progressed well and we continue to be on track for production per our earlier communicated timeline," stated Glenn Kelly, CEO of Orbite.</p>