The transformation of Alpha HPA’s Gladstone-based project into the largest single-site ultra-high purity aluminium materials refinery in the world is under way with the company on Tuesday celebrating the official groundbreaking as the start of Stage 2 construction.
Alpha HPA MD Rimas Kairaitis said he was pleased to announce that construction of the Stage 2 HPA First Project had started, with extensive funding support in place to progress to full scale production.
Alpha HPA’s 10-ha Stage 2 facility will leverage the established Stage 1 operation, and Alpha HPA’s Australian-owned and -developed process intellectual property.
At full scale, the site will be capable of producing more than 10 000 t/y of high-purity aluminium products, creating 120 ongoing local jobs on top of the 300 jobs during construction.
“Today marks a significant step forward for Alpha HPA, the Gladstone community and for high technology manufacturing in Australia,’’ Kairaitis said at the official breaking ground event held on the Stage 2 site.
”This project is a testament to the incredible potential of homegrown technology and its ability to compete on the world stage,” he said.
Alpha HPA’s proprietary process technology offers a unique opportunity to manufacture a wide range ultra-high purity aluminium material that are cost competitive, low-carbon and which leverages off established industrial infrastructure in Gladstone.
The innovative process allows for the extraction and purification of aluminium from industrial feedstock, producing materials of exceptional purity for high-technology applications, including the semiconductor, lithium-ion battery, and LED lighting sectors.
Alpha has secured a A$400-million Australian government debt facility and raised A$180-million in equity to fund the Stage 2 development.