FYI Resources Ltd (ASX:FYI) has appointed mining, refining and chemical industries veteran Phil Thick as a strategic advisor to the company.
In this capacity, the senior industry executive will provide FYI and its Board of Directors with strategic advice, corporate support and government liaison.
His experience, including in senior roles, both executive and non-executive, in a number of companies including Tianqi Lithium, Shell Australia, Coogee Chemicals and Alcoa (NYSE:AA) Australia, is expected to provide invaluable guidance to FYI in high purity alumina (HPA) and battery minerals project delivery.
“Will add significant value”
FYI managing director Roland Hill said, “We are delighted to have Phil join our dedicated and growing team. We believe he will add significant value through his business acumen and prior experience with similar project developments.”
Thick possesses an impressive track record, being instrumental in the development of a number of major resources projects – particularly in the battery and energy-related industries.
Extensive experience
His extensive experience at global, national and project levels will provide FYI with strategic advice and corporate assistance to help progress the development of FYI’s HPA project with Alcoa of Australia and other downstream and value-add battery mineral opportunities identified by FYI.
"We are committed to our innovative HPA project with Alcoa and we believe Phil’s future contribution, both directly and indirectly, will be invaluable in us achieving our goals,” Hill added.
Innovative HPA process design
FYI is developing an innovative process design for the integrated production of high-quality HPA predominantly for electric vehicles (lithium-ion batteries), sapphire glass (LED) and other broader tech applications.
FYI’s is positioning itself to be a significant producer of 4N and 5N HPA in the rapidly developing high-tech product markets.
“FYI at the cutting edge”
Phil Thick said, “I have a great interest in the HPA sector and have followed it closely over a number of years, including during my time with Tianqi.
"I believe there is huge future upside for HPA and FYI are at the cutting edge in what they are doing which is supported by their partnership with Alcoa.
"I am delighted to be joining FYI’s team and I am looking forward to assist in progressing the HPA project along with the emerging value-add opportunities.”
FYI applies both an ESG and economic overlay of the company and its operations to ensure long-term sustainable and shareholder value is created via the development of the company’s innovative, high quality, ultra-pure HPA project.
Increasing HPA demand
HPA is increasingly becoming the primary sought-after input material for certain high-tech products principally for its unique properties, characteristics and chemical properties that address those applications' high specification requirements such as LEDs and other sapphire glass products.
The longer-term driver for HPA, with forecasts of >17% CAGR, is the outlook for the burgeoning electric vehicle and static energy storage markets where the primary function is in the use as a separator material between the anode and cathode in batteries to increase power, functionality and safety of the battery cells.
The foundation of FYI’s HPA strategy is the company’s moderate temperature, atmospheric pressure innovative process flowsheet. The strategy’s quality attributes combine resulting in world-class HPA project potential.