Collerina Cobalt Ltd (ASX:CLL) has confirmed commercial scalability during tests of its unique ‘HPA First’ process aimed at producing high purity alumina (HPA).
The company has completed the first solvent extraction mini-rig run using industrial feedstock, which forms part of HPA First.
This process applies Collerina’s licensed solvent extraction and refining technology to produce HPA from an industrial feedstock.
Adopted in July 2018, the process improves upon a previous process flowsheet, which used a feedstock generated from the acid-leaching of laterite mineralisation from Collerina’s nickel-cobalt-scandium project in central NSW.
Collerina expects to complete a modified pre-feasibility study, based on the HPA First process, in October 2018.
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The solvent extraction mini-rig was run continuously over a 3.5-day period, achieving a maximum aluminium extraction of 69.4%.
This rig mimics the aluminium solvent extraction section of the intended commercial-scale process.
Results from the testing provide valuable engineering data for improving and validating the design of the commercial facility.
Preparations are underway for the second run, which will be designed to generate a larger quantity of HPA.
Adjustments based on observations from the first run are expected to increase the feedstock aluminium tenor and improve the recovery to over 95%.
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Preparations have also commenced for the design and construction of a larger-scale continuous pilot plant, to follow the completion of the mini-rig test work.
The pilot plant will form the testing basis for the definitive feasibility study and provide data to allow the detailed design of the commercial HPA production facility.
The company has commenced dialogue with selected HPA end-users, with a view to providing samples for indicative offtake terms.