FYI Resources Ltd (ASX:FYI) (FRA:SDL) in collaboration with Alcoa Australia Ltd will begin a trial of FYI's wholly-owned high purity alumina (HPA) pilot plant at Welshpool in Western Australia today.
This trial will see the plant operate continuously for seven days on a 24 hours-a-day basis to demonstrate the 'end-to-end' efficiency of FYI’s innovative HPA refining process.
The pilot plant replicates the company’s designed and engineered process flowsheet
HPA produced will be checked for quality control and assurance before being forwarded to end-user and customer groups with whom FYI has been in advanced discussions with regarding HPA marketing and offtake arrangements.
Further major milestone
FYI managing director Roland Hill said: “We are delighted to be starting the joint HPA trial production with Alcoa today.
“A tremendous amount of expertise and effort has been dedicated to this phase of the project.
“This occasion represents a further major milestone for FYI in the progressive commercialisation of the company’s HPA strategy.
“We are pleased to have Alcoa join us at this stage of the HPA strategy development and look forward to the pilot plant trial outcomes and continuing the joint MOU discussions.”
To validate operational performances
Following the refurbishment and commissioning of FYI’s bespoke-built pilot plant, continuous operations will be conducted jointly to:
➢ Validate key operational performances;
➢ Explore scale-up factors;
➢ Review process refinements and improvements;
➢ Examine materials of construction; and
➢ Produce further material for product marketing and potential customer qualification.
The cost of refurbishment of the FYI pilot plant and operation of the trial is being funded by Alcoa.
Alcoa MoU
FYI’s innovative processing flowsheet design has demonstrated the capability for the production of high purity, high-quality HPA.
Previous production trials have resulted in outstanding quality HPA, which is currently being assessed by potential off-take parties.
FYI and Alcoa entered an MOU on September 8, 2020, for the potential joint development of FYI’s innovative, fully integrated, high-quality HPA project.
Collaborative operation and demonstration of FYI’s pilot plant is one of several conditions precedent under the MOU.
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 that applications high specification requirements such as LED’s and other sapphire glass products.
