FYI Resources Ltd (ASX:FYI) and Alcoa (NYSE:AA) of Australia have delivered further results described as "outstanding" from the second week of their high purity alumina (HPA) pilot plant trial with an average purity of 99.9978% recorded from the samples delivered following the week-long campaign.
The aim of the project is to produce high-purity HPA for the high-tech product market.
Week-long trial
The trial, which ran from December 7 to December 14 last year, generated product from which selected samples across all stages of the process were sent to EAG Laboratories in New York for analysis.
The laboratory used high level Glow Discharge Mass Spectrometry (GDMS), which provided independent, high accuracy confirmation of the HPA grades.
Consistent with the previous HPA trial outcomes, the week two results demonstrated continued high-quality grades across the suite of samples, which ranged in purity from 99.9983% to 99.9973% Al2O3.
These robust test results from the week-long campaign continue to support the companies’ hypothesis that the plant will be an efficient source of quality HPA, and augur well for the commercialisation of FYI’s unique refining process.
The trial feedstock was supplied by Alcoa, though feedstock variations and blends continue to be assessed as part of feasibility.
“The latest results are very pleasing, as we trial different variations of operating conditions,” FYI managing director Roland Hill said.
“It is a joint objective for the continual improvement and optimising of the HPA flowsheet, incorporating learnings from previous pilot plant trials and integrating them into the process design.”
“These test results demonstrate the progressive advances in the process flowsheet that the joint development is achieving as well as incremental improvement in the overall project value.”
Next pilot plant trial
The third extended pilot plant trial is scheduled to start operation on January 17. This trial will continue with the previous trial objectives, focusing on flowsheet refinement and HPA product generation for customer assessment purposes.
The company is at the halfway point of its trial now.
About FYI Resources
FYI aims to become a significant producer of 4N and 5N HPA, taking an ESG approach to ensure long-term sustainable and shareholder value.
HPA is a highly sought-after material for certain high-tech products. Its unique properties, characteristics and chemical properties make it ideal for LEDs and other sapphire glass products.
The longer-term driver for HPA is the outlook for the burgeoning electric vehicle and static energy storage markets. The product’s primary function in these applications is its use as a separator material between the anode and cathode in batteries to increase power, functionality and safety of the battery cells.