Orbite presents HPA plant update: Commissioning continues to progress as planned

<p>Orbite Technologies Inc. today provided an update on commissioning and start-up of its high purity alumina ("HPA") plant. Activities continue to progress towards beginning of production in Q3, as communicated previously.<br /><br />Commissioning of the decomposer and calciner scrubber and the CMI exhaust gas cleaning and acid recovery systems has been successfully completed.<br /><br />Subsequently, heating of the decomposer and calciner ovens commenced over the Labour Day long weekend. Ovens are running with all the required service and support systems, including water cooling, CMI exhaust gas cleaning and acid recovery, steam generation, superheater, compressed air, and ventilation. Accordingly, more than 50% of the plant is now in hot start-up operations.<br /><br />Using hot air only from the superheater system, the temperature in the ovens is being increased slowly and to different levels to allow for oven and system verifications.<br /><br />Next steps will be to increase refractory temperatures further by the injection of superheated steam, followed by the use of the decomposer and calciner internal electrical heating elements for additional heat input.<br /><br />Once refractory temperatures reach 700 degrees C, the full system will be operationally tested through the introduction of SGA into the decomposer using the feedscrew system which will then be transferred to the calciner and finally to the product cooler using the discharge devices and sealpot systems.<br /><br />Crystallisation and digestions circuits are being completed and prepared for commissioning and start-up, scheduled subsequent to the start-up and operational testing of the decomposer and calciner.<br /><br />Accordingly, activities are progressing towards the beginning of production in Q3, as planned.</p>