- King River Resources (KRR) has made several advances on the pre-feasibility study (PFS) for its Speewah high-purity alumina (HPA) project in WA
- King River has removed the need for a second stage ion exchange circuit to complement the crystallisation process
- The company is also investigating alternatives to the construction of an on-site acid plant adjacent to a mining and processing operations
- King River is aiming to produce alpha-alumina without the substantial capital outlay and complex permitting issues around constructing a high-impact processing facility in the East Kimberley
- The company is also completing further testwork on the calcination of the HPA precursor to make sure no contaminants are introduced
- King River Resources is trading 3.23 per cent higher at 3.2 cents
King River Resources (KRR) has made several advances on the pre-feasibility study (PFS) for its Speewah high-purity alumina (HPA) project in WA.
Streamlining
Perhaps the most significant advance is in the simplification of the purification circuit.
King River has removed the need for a second stage ion exchange circuit to complement the crystallisation process.
The resulting increase in recovery will require changes to both the engineering design and the mining study as fewer tonnes need to be processed.
The company is also investigating alternatives to the construction of an on-site acid plant adjacent to a mining and processing operations.
By avoiding the substantial capital costs and regulatory hurdles, KRR could significantly accelerate first revenues with far less cash outlay.
The company is floating the idea of using a Perth-based industrial estate and alternative high-purity HPA feedstocks while still using the company’s novel processing technique.
KRR is aiming to produce alpha-alumina without the substantial capital outlay and complex permitting issues around constructing a high-impact processing facility in the East Kimberley.
The alternate processing study work is being done in parallel to the PFS, so KRR will have options on the table when it comes time to move forward to full production.
Next steps
The company is completing further testwork on the calcination of the HPA precursor to make sure no contaminants are introduced into the 4N (99.99 per cent Al2O3) HPA product.
So far, initial testing indicates the alumina is converted to the stable alpha form — the highest-purity form — suitable for LED and battery separator applications.
Being able to produce such a high-quality product from a simplified process could bring KRR towards the front of the pack in the alpha HPA production space.
Whether that work is done at a standalone facility in the Kimberley, or an urban industrial setting, will be decided by the outcomes of the PFS and alternate processing study.
King River Resources is trading 3.23 per cent higher at 3.2 cents as at 11:37 am AEST.