Australia Minerals and Mining Group Limited is pleased to announce that it has successfully produced 99.99% (4N) HPA (high purity alumina) using its own innovative aluminous clay (kaolin) to HPA processing technology. AMMG filed three patent applications for the aforementioned processing technology in February 2013. The Company previously announced the production of >99.9% (3N) HPA (please click here to view the announcement dated 18 February 2013) and subsequent to these results, additional trials were conducted to achieve the 4N purity.

AMMG produced the 4N HPA from its unique processing technology in collaboration with its consulting processing chemists, TSW Analytical Pty Ltd. TSW Analytical was engaged in mid-2012 to refine and verify AMMG’s process and produce HPA material using that process. Mr Ric Dawson, AMMG’s managing director, said “After producing >99.9% HPA, we conducted additional trials to subsequently achieve the 4N HPA. We are now confident from TSW’s work that we will be able to produce higher 5N or 6N purity levels, subject to further successful development of the process. “This successful result confirms the capacity of our processing technology and gives us the confidence to pursue the interest we have received from potential investors and off-take customers. “We are now reviewing the next steps to progress this project and are scoping the design, construction and financing options for a HPA production plant”, Mr Dawson concluded.

The Company lodged three patent applications in February 2013 to protect the intellectual property of its processing technology (patent numbers 2013900637, 2013900636, 20139000639). AMMG’s process is favoured by the unique mineralogy of its aluminous clay material, which contains extremely low levels of impurities, such as iron and titanium. The Company’s aluminous clay deposits are hosted by the Yilgarn Craton, which is one of the oldest weathered cratons on earth. The ancient weathering has left the aluminous clay as a primary or in-situ resource; it is whitish in colour and extends from the surface to a reported depth of 42 metres. The Company’s 100% owned South West HPA project carries a combined JORC resource of 297Mt of aluminous clay. This is currently the second largest reported aluminous clay deposit in the world.

High Purity Alumina (HPA)
HPA refers to alumina that has a purity level of more than 99.99% (4N). It is a premium high end product that is used in a number of applications such as high-performance electronics; tablet, smartphone and computer screen backlighting; LED’s; and hybrid cars. HPA is a specialised alumina that is used for its superior hardness, high brightness, inertness (non-conductive), superior corrosion resistance and its ability to withstand extreme temperatures. It is utilised in automotive sensor applications as an alumina substrate, and is used for its excellent electrical insulating properties and high heat conductivity. Due to the high level of plasma corrosion resistance, HPA is also used in semiconductor applications.

While HPA is used in a variety of markets, it is reported that about 60% of HPA is designated to the LED industry. Reported worldwide production of HPA is estimated at 15,000tpa, which is expected to increase at 7% CAGR, predominantly driven by the rising LED market. Prices for HPA range from approximately US$40/kg to US$300/kg, depending on the level of purity.