Corella Resources (ASX:CR9) reports further 5N (99.999%) high purity alumina (HPA) production from a bulk sample taken from its Tampu deposit in Western Australia.
HPA is used in the manufacturing of LED (light-emitting diode) lights, lithium-ion batteries for electric vehicles and synthetic sapphire glass for wearable tech and smartphone camera lenses.
For it to be considered a primary product it needs to reach a purity level of four, five or six nines (4N, 5N and 6N).
The HPA market, which in 2023 was worth US$3.8 billion ($5.8 billion), is estimated to grow at a compound annual rate of 21.6% through to 2030 to reach a benchmark of US$15.2 billion, according to Strategic Market Research.
The 100kg composite sample from sonic core was processed at the Dalian University of Technology. The goal was to optimise the HPA flowsheet and assess the range of feed grade compared to HPA grade, as well as temperature parameters.
CEO Jess Maddren says confirming 5N HPA represents a milestone in the company’s exploration and production efforts within the HPA sector.
“We are encouraged by the results achieved through our collaboration with Dalian University of Technology and the validation from independent laboratories,” she says.
“This success paves the way for further advancements as we progress towards establishing ourselves as a prominent player in the HPA market.”
Corella also plans to construct a lab-scale pilot plant in Western Australia, as an integral component of the HPA Prefeasibility Study (PFS), which is independent from the Tampu Kaolin Project’s Feasibility Study.
The company says the facility will focus on producing HPA from kaolin obtained through further drilling and test/direct shipping ore pit extraction planned for this year.
Corella is seeking to confirm a flowsheet for the cost of a pilot plant, as part of the HPA PFS costs. The Tampu Kaolin Project Feasibility Study, which began in February 2024, and the wash plant will produce the feedstock for the HPA processing plant.
Corella Resources is an Australian explorer focused on its wholly owned kaolin and silicon projects in the Yilgarn Craton region of Western Australia. The company’s assets include the Tampu, Wiltshire, and Kalannie kaolin projects, as well as the Bonnie Rock Silica Project.
Write to Aaliyah Rogan at Mining.com.au
Images: Corella Resources
