Andromeda Metals Ltd (ASX:ADN) has successfully completed the first stage testing of Great White halloysite-kaolin, confirming the feed material as being in a ‘class of its own’.
Testing results from Advanced Engineering Materials’ (AEM) HPA pilot test facility in Canada have confirmed Great White halloysite-kaolin as a premium grade feed material for the HPA production process.
Positively, the significantly low levels of specific impurities in Andromeda supplied feed indicates that about three tonnes of Great White Feed will produce about one tonne of 4N (99.99%) or better HPA whereas the normal ratio is about 10:1.
Andromeda has engaged global expert Dr Bryn Harris assisted by Dr Mike Dry to lead the company’s HPA strategy and to augment work being done in Australia by HPA expert Boyd Willis.
Dr Harris will oversee the ongoing due diligence on AEM and their plans for an HPA plant in the UK and testing of Andromeda’s kaolin.
MoU with AEM: background
Andromeda signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with AEM Technologies Inc, part of the AEM group and entered an initial 90-day exclusivity period to explore an HPA licencing transaction that is intended to include testing Andromeda kaolin feed, process feasibility studies and potential licensing and marketing arrangements.
AEM’s Cap Chat HPA Process Plant in Quebec Canada uses its patented process to make 99.99% (4N) and 99.999% (5N) pure high purity alumina.
With proven technology and extensive patents, Cap Chat is recognised as environmentally friendly with its focus on reducing reagent consumption and transitioning to a near ‘zero carbon emission’ energy consumption plant.
The facility is the only one of its type globally that is capable of producing 4/5N HPA from a kaolin feed.
Having commissioned the plant in 2020, AEM is now in offtake discussions with potential customers around the world.
MoU extended
The MoU was signed with AEM to enable kaolin samples from Andromeda’s projects on the Eyre Peninsula to be evaluated using the AEM proven process to determine its suitability for HPA manufacture and potentially lead to the construction by Andromeda of an HPA plant under a licencing agreement with AEM, which could also include the marketing of HPA manufactured product by ADN through AEM’s global distribution network.
The MOU with AEM has been extended until December 31, 2021, to further advance AEM’s UK HPA project that is in the Feasibility Study phase and which Andromeda is planning to replicate, and also to complete due diligence on the modular plant design.
Appointment of Dr Bryn Harris
Andromeda has engaged global expert Dr Bryn Harris assisted by Dr Mike Dry to lead the company’s HPA strategy and to augment work being done in Australia by HPA expert Boyd Willis.
Dr Harris has a PhD from the University of Birmingham, UK.
He is widely recognised globally as a leading expert on chloride-based processing, having designed, built and commissioned commercial plants.
His expertise in chloride-based processes is critical to the optimising of the HPA hydromet process as the leaching of the kaolin typically involves hydrochloric acid.
Dr Harris will oversee the ongoing due diligence on AEM and their plans for an HPA plant in the UK and testing of Andromeda’s Eyre Peninsula kaolins.
He is also being assisted by Dr Mike Dry who holds a BSc (Chemical Engineering) and a PhD (Engineering).
Input from the Australian side is being provided by Boyd Willis who is a metallurgical consultant with 31 years of experience in complex hydrometallurgical processes for base metal recovery.