FYI Resources Ltd (ASX:FYI) says its high purity alumina (HPA) product appears to meet the higher end of the company’s anticipated internal measures, following the first phase of extended pilot plant trials with Alcoa (NYSE:AA).
As reported by Proactive, FYI started trial production of HPA with an extended pilot plant campaign in collaboration with Alcoa (NYSE:AA), one of the world’s largest aluminium producers with a market value of US$9 billion.
FYI announced on Tuesday that the first trial was completed successfully, with operations performed to expectations and the product appearing to meet the higher end of the company’s anticipated internal measures.
HPA confidence
FYI managing director Roland Hill said the first successful trial gave the company renewed confidence in its high-quality HPA product.
“The operational performance of the joint pilot plant trial continues to impress our development team,” he said.
“In the words of our metallurgical manager, 'the trial’s operational objectives were met comfortably'.
“This is particularly pleasing at this time as the HPA project progresses to the detailed end of the development allowing us to incorporate the ongoing series of continual improvements into the engineering, process flowsheet and ultimately the project economics.”
Trial details
The pilot plant at FYI’s facility in Welshpool in Western Australia is operating to design with current production in line with expectations.
The proposed commercial production of HPA by FYI and Alcoa (NYSE:AA) is aligned with the Western Australian Government’s Future Battery Industry Strategy which aims to create a world-leading, sustainable and value-adding battery industry that creates local jobs, contributes to skill development, supports economic diversification and benefits regional communities.
This marks the second joint pilot plant trial between the two parties and is designed to demonstrate improvements to the production process, as well as generate bulk HPA for prospective customers to assess.
Next steps
Samples of the extended trial HPA product will be internally checked and then submitted for high-level Glow Discharge Mass Spectrometry (GDMS) analysis in the US for independent, high accuracy, confirmation of the HPA grades.
The trials will carry a clear environment, social and governance (ESG) focus, providing information for FYI and Alcoa (NYSE:AA) to track how their production process conforms with high ESG standards.
- Daniel Paproth