Corella Resources secures Gov Trailblazer funding for HPA flowsheet research

Corella Resources has secured Trailblazer funding to fast-track HPA flowsheet R&D
Program seeks to select flowsheet that will lower environmental impact and improve economic metrics
Company looking to construct lab-scale pilot plant in early 2025

Special Report: Corella Resources’ push to produce high quality kaolin clay – an ideal feedstock for high purity alumina – from its Tampu deposit in WA has secured support from the Australian Federal Government’s Trailblazer program.

The company’s kaolin to high purity alumina testing program had focussed on optimising the existing proven kaolin to HPA flowsheet to reduce and remove some process variables to improve outcomes and set parameters to trial in the next stage of scale-up.

With its work to date already proving that kaolin from Tampu can be used to produce high quality 5N HPA, the focus of Corella Resources’ (ASX:CR9) efforts has shifted towards selecting a flowsheet that can be applied in pre-feasibility and definitive feasibility studies, with pilot plants to be scaled in stages amid a focus on reducing costs.

Cash and in-kind support from both industry partners as well as a financial contribution from the Resources Technology and Critical Minerals Trailblazer program, as well as potential state funding, allows for fast-tracking of a six-month research and development project set to cost $500,000 to complete.

The company’s share is $75,000 cash and $50,000 in-kind contribution towards accessing independent external certified HPA analysis at the leading global laboratory in the US.

This program investigates an alternative flowsheet focussed on key operational factors that would impact the overall project’s environmental impact, funding, and economic metrics such as low capital and operating costs, low energy for heat and calcining, and reagent type and recycling.

The Trailblazer program seeks to promote more effective commercialisation of university innovations, accelerate industry research outcomes, and promote university-industry collaboration to enhance Australia’s standing in the resources technology and critical minerals processing areas.

Timing critical to decouple HPA from aluminium supply chain

“Corella Resources’ Kaolin to HPA (K2HPA) project is moving at speed by utilising collaborative strategies between industry and research groups to create a novel low capex and opex flowsheet to move to production as early as possible with a low cost fundable processing plant,” chief executive officer Jess Maddren said.

“Timing is important to the HPA industry as the demand for copper and aluminium globally over the next 10 years will require a HPA feedstock and process that is completely decoupled from the aluminium supply chain.”

CR9 seeks to develop a kaolin wash plant as a precursor plant to the HPA processing plant.

This will allow the company to sell various products from a processed high purity and quality kaolin through to a final HPA product with cost and profitability increasing as the final product becomes more refined.

Tampu has a kaolin resource of 24.7Mt, half of which is suitable for use as HPA feedstock.

Besides the Trailblazer program, the company could also access the Future Made in Australia program which includes the Critical Minerals Production Tax Incentive.

It provides a production incentive valued at 10% of relevant processing and refining costs for Australia’s 31 critical minerals, a list which includes HPA, for the periods between 2027-28 to 2039-40.

CR9 seeks to fast track its R&D, PFS and DFS to reach FID on the HPA portion of the project to maximise the value of the tax incentive, which can be used to reduce costs for up to a decade.

That could be extremely beneficial for the overall value and economic case for the HPA production facility.

CR9 is aiming to start construction of a lab-scale pilot plant in early 2025.

This article was developed in collaboration with Corella Resources, a Stockhead advertiser at the time of publishing.

This article does not constitute financial product advice. You should consider obtaining independent advice before making any financial decisions.