Andromeda Metals has progressed plans to produce high-purity alumina (HPA) from its Great White kaolin project in South Australia.
During the March 2024 quarter, Andromeda recommenced flow sheet test work to assess the potential viability of the novel flowsheet using kaolin from Great White as feedstock to support high purity alumina production.
The test work confirmed that kaolin from Great White is ideally suited for making HPA due to its high alumina content and very low levels of alkali and alkaline earth metals. Recent lab-scale tests have produced HPA to 99.99 per cent purity (4N HPA).
Considered a critical mineral in Australia, HPA has a variety of uses in the technology and automotive industries, specifically in the manufacturing of LED (light-emitting diode) lights and lithium-ion batteries for electric vehicles.
“These results are encouraging and represent a significant de-risking of Andromeda’s proprietary process to produce HPA,” Andromeda managing director and chief executive officer Bob Katsiouleris said.
“The positive results underpin our plans to produce HPA using the high-quality kaolin feedstock from the Great White project. The novel process offers the prospect of commercially producing 4N HPA economically, at scale.”
Andromeda will now progress the next phase of HPA test work, which will see the company run a more rigorous continuous test program for creation of samples for bulk analysis.
Earlier this week, Andromeda confirmed that its Great White CRM product can enhance the whiteness of porcelain tiles and can replace up to 20 per cent of zircon.