FYI Resourced Ltd (ASX:FYI) has achieved ultra-high purity alumina of >99.99% from continuous calcination in its latest pilot plant trials in the USA.
The recently completed Stage Two continuous trial production of high purity alumina (HPA) from the company’s pilot plant met FYI’s target grade expectations.
Managing Director, Roland Hill, said that following the successful Stage Two pilot plant production, HPA samples were submitted for high level Glow Discharge Mass Spectrometry (GDMS) analysis to EAG Laboratories in New York, USA.
The results from the Stage Two pilot plant trial are particularly pleasing as the purity has continued to meet our target expectations,” Mr Hill said,
“The results reinforce the validation of our innovative flow sheet design and the sound technical principles upon which we have based our HPA strategy as demonstrated in our recently published DFS.
“We are now freighting requested parcels of our HPA to selected potential customers for continued qualification. We look forward to working closely with the various groups through their individual assessment process.”
The Stage Two trial product, having now passed FYI’s internal quality control and quality assurance testing, will be packaged up to the various potential customer requested requirements and forwarded to them for further in-depth qualification.
Approximately half of the material will be retained by FYI for supplementary finishing work which was specifically requested by certain prospective customers. FYI will complete this work prior to forwarding to these parties. This additional work is viewed as “value-add” to the customers which will facilitate a more effective qualification pathway.
Mr Hill said that based upon the learnings from this recent continuous calcination run, further stages of improvement are being planned to potentially improve upon the excellent results achieved to date.
“The commentary received from potential customers regarding FYI’s Stage One HPA trial production is that our material was very well accepted, exceeding the quality and purity requirements for the applications for which it was assessed,” Mr Hill said.
“FYI is delivering sample product to potential customers specialising in several industries that utilise HPA – but are focusing on the sapphire glass, LED and electric vehicle (EV) battery segments.”