PERTH (miningweekly.com) – The Queensland government has confirmed up to A$21.7-million in funding under the government’s Industry Partnership Program for the second stage of ASX-listed Alpha HPA’s HPA First project in Gladstone.

The A$300-million HPA First project will produce 10 000 t/y of high purity alumina (HPA) and related high purity precursor products using Alpha’s proprietary licensed solvent extraction and HPA refining technology.

The company last year successfully commissioned the Stage 1 precursor production facility (PPF) and achieved commercial production.

“Investments like Alpha HPA’s are growing Queensland’s critical minerals processing capability and ensuring new industries have the materials to deliver safe, sustainable, high-performing products to market,” said acting Premier Steven Miles.

“The Queensland government’s Industry Partnership Program is one way we are supporting the growth of companies like Alpha HPA in priority industry sectors.

“In 2021, Alpha HPA chose Queensland as the home for this exciting project, fast forward to today and the company can now move ahead to Stage 2 and plan for full-scale production thanks to assistance from the Queensland government.”

Alpha HPA MD Rimas Kairaitis said the company was delighted to receive this financial support for the HPA First project from the Queensland government.

“We welcome the state’s recognition of opportunities in the production and processing of critical minerals for new-economy products.

“Assistance through the government’s Industry Partnership Program for the HPA First project builds further momentum for the project and further growth of local supply chains.

“In 2021 we signed the Central Queensland Statement of Cooperation with the Queensland government, this commitment provided certainty for established and new industries in the Gladstone region to contribute to the goal of net zero emissions manufacturing.”

Alpha this week told shareholders that the company currently deploying the A$15.5-million grant awarded under the Critical Minerals Development Programme to install a small-scale commercial HPA circuit within the Stage 1 operation and expand the capacity of the Stage 1 PPF to include Alpha’s full high purity aluminium product range.

Once fully deployed, the grant funding will facilitate the capacity to produce up to 15 t/y of additional capacity of HPA production, including nano HPA production to service end-users in the semi-conductor sector, the capability to produce up to an additional 10 t/y of high purity boehmite, and the production of HPA tablets for synthetic sapphire gas growth, as well as the installation of a large rooftop solar array.