Corella Resources (ASX:CR9) has secured funding from the Australian Government for its kaolin to high-purity alumina (HPA) project’s flowsheet to progress through the Prefeasibility Study (PFS) and Definitive Feasibility Study (DFS) stages, with scaled-up pilot plants.
The company’s kaolin to HPA testing program has focused on optimising the existing proven kaolin to HPA flowsheet to reduce and remove some process variables, improve outcomes, and set parameters to trial in the next stage of scale-up.
Due to the high-quality, Corella Resources’ Tampu kaolin can produce 5N HPA.
The project will be funded through cash and in-kind support from industry partners, as well as a financial contribution from the government’s Resources Technology and Critical Minerals Trailblazer Program.
Corella Resources says this collaboration across industry and government funding allows for the fast-tracking of the research and development (R&D) project value of over $500,000. Corella’s portion is $75,000 and $50,000 in-kind contributing towards accessing independent external certified HPA analysis at a global laboratory in the US.
CEO Jess Maddren says the project is progressing quickly by using collaborative strategies between industry and research groups to create a novel low capex and opex flowsheet to move to production as early as possible, with a low-cost fundable processing plant.
“Timing is important to the HPA industry as the demand for copper and aluminium globally over the next 10 years will require a HPA feedstock and process that is completely decoupled from the aluminium supply chain,” Maddren says.
Following this announcement, Corella Resources’ shares spiked 40% to $0.007, as of 1.30pm AEST today.
The six-month project will investigate an alternative flowsheet focusing on key operational factors that would impact the overall project’s environmental impact, funding, and economic metrics.
Corella says its kaolin resource is the feedstock for HPA and its Tampu deposit has value being sold as various products from a processed high-purity and quality kaolin, through to a final HPA product, with cost and profitability increasing the more refined the final product becomes.
The company is currently focused on fast-tracking its R&D, PFS, and DFS, with the aim of reaching a final investment decision on the HPA portion of the project.
The federal government is conducting its trailblazer program to promote more effective commercialisation of university innovations, accelerate industry research outcomes, and promite university-industry collaboration to enhance the country’s standing in the Resources Technology and Critical Mineral Processing national manufacturing priority area.
Upon the government entering into a head of agreement with Curtin University, the trailblazer program has become a collaboration between Curtin University, the University of Queensland, and James Cook University.
Write to Aaliyah Rogan at Mining.com.au
Images: Corella Resources
