Alpha HPA is clearing the path to transform its Gladstone-based project into one of the largest single site ultra-high-purity alumina refineries in the world.
Alpha HPA’s Managing Director Rimas Kairaitis announced site establishment had commenced today, with extensive funding support in place to progress to full scale production.
In other milestones announced today, Alpha HPA has recorded a significant increase in end-user engagement for the semi-conductor sector; safety benefits confirmed for its UltraCoat battery process; and further successful sapphire growth achieved to service LED and semi-conductor end users.
“Key earthworks and civil contractors have now commenced site establishment activities ahead of the imminent commencement of project earthworks,’’ Mr Kairaitis said.
“Contractors have started mobilising equipment and support infrastructure, and Ergon have commenced power line burial ahead of commencement of earthworks. Alpha HPA’s construction management team is now fully established in Gladstone.”
The construction milestone follows the previously announced $400 million government debt facility secured to fund the Stage Two development, plus $180 million raised in equity with strong support from 5% shareholder Orica.
Orica Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer Sanjeev Gandhi and the Federal Minister for Climate Change and Energy Chris Bowen visited the Gladstone site recently to tour the established Stage One facility and the cleared Stage Two site.
“With financing in place and line of sight to commercial production in place, Alpha HPA is experiencing a pickup in larger volume sample sales for final testing with global tier one end-users,’’ Mr Kairaitis said.
He said Stage Two construction would take approximately two years, with first production anticipated in the second half of 2026.
“We are pleased to report the company is observing a significant increase in end-user engagement within the semiconductor industry, augmented with a recent marketing visit to Japan, where there is a concentration of manufacture of high-end thermal interface materials for the semiconductor sector,” Mr Kairaitis said.
Meanwhile Alpha HPA is making significant headway in its breakthrough technology to combat rising lithium-ion battery fires, with flame testing confirming the safety benefits of its UltraCoat process.
The UltraCoat process utilises Alpha HPA’s proprietary, ultra-high purity Al-Nitrate precursor to apply controlled thickness high-purity aluminium-oxide and hydroxide coatings to a range of surfaces within the lithium-ion battery environment.
Flame testing has now confirmed that aluminium Li-ion cell casings utilising the UltraCoat process can withstand more than 1000oC thermal runaway conditions for over 9 minutes, when compared to less than 15 seconds on uncoated aluminium cell casings.
Alpha HPA’s 10-hectare, state-of-the-art Stage Two facility will leverage the established Stage One operation, and Alpha HPA’s novel, and Australian owned and developed process IP.
At full scale, the site will be capable of producing 10,000 tonnes of high-purity aluminium products per year, creating 120 ongoing local jobs on top of the 300 jobs during construction.
Alpha HPA’s proprietary process technology offers a unique opportunity to manufacture a wide range ultra-high purity aluminium material that are cost competitive, low-carbon and which leverages off established industrial infrastructure in Gladstone.
The innovative process allows for the extraction and purification of aluminium from industrial feedstock, producing materials of exceptional purity for high-technology applications, including the semiconductor, lithium-ion battery and LED lighting sectors.
In parallel, Alpha HPA continues to advance its complementary downstream Alpha Sapphire business.
Alpha Sapphire has maintained successful growth cycles of high-quality synthetic sapphire boules from the initial two sapphire growth units in Gladstone.
“Additional sapphire boules have now been dispatched for processing to synthetic sapphire wafers to service qualification enquiries for both LED and semiconductor end-users,’’ Mr Kairaitis said.
ENDS.
MEDIA CONTACT: ELLIE BLUMEL – +61 (0) 448 122 948
