ABx Group (ASX:ABX) has increased the confidence in its ALCORE process after the bath pilot batch reactor achieved the highest fluorine recovery to date of 97%.
Shares climbed over 10% on the back of the news to an intra-day high of $0.043.
The bath pilot batch reactor, which is located at the ALCORE Technology Centre in New South Wales, has been designed for the recovery of fluorine from aluminium smelter bath waste to produce high-value hydrogen fluoride.
ABx, which has a market capitalisation of $9.75 million, says the latest reactor results have improved on the previous recovery result of 93%.
This latest recovery rate was achieved using the reactor followed by further manual processing of some product material in a separate furnace. In the company’s latest test run, the reactor delivered 85% fluorine recovery in the first stage — which is the highest achieved from a single stage.
The company notes the continuous pilot plant reactor will incorporate the two-stage design and will operate under similar processing conditions to what has already been conducted.
Further, the higher fluorine recoveries achieved using particular process conditions confirmed ABx’s theories on the factors that affect fluorine recovery.
ABx adds that the latest results provide more flexibility to optimise operation of the commercial plant.
CEO Mark Cooksey says ALCORE has delivered “such stellar results” with near complete recovery of fluorine from aluminium smelter bath.
“Additionally, the fact the results validated our theories demonstrates that ALCORE has an exceptionally strong understanding of the process, giving great confidence for ongoing scale-up,” Cooksey says.
Since the bath pilot reactor was commissioned in October 2023, ALCORE has carried out numerous test runs, typically processing 10kg total of bath and sulphuric acid.
ALCORE has also outlined steady increases in fluorine recovery through optimisation of particle size, reactor temperature, acid concentration, and feed ratio.
ABx Group is focused on two key areas — advancing an ionic adsorption clay rare earth project in northern Tasmania and establishing a plant to produce hydrogen fluoride and aluminium fluoride from recycled industrial waste to replace imports.
ABx is attending the International Mining and Resources Conference being held at the International Convention Centre in Sydney this week from 29-31 October 2024.
Mining.com.au will be in attendance and will provide updates from this year’s event.
Write to Aaliyah Rogan at Mining.com.au
Images: ABx
