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ChemX Materials (ASX:CMX) (ChemX or the Company), an Australian high purity critical materials company and 100%-owner of the HiPurA® patented process to produce High Purity Alumina (HPA) ispleased to announce it has received notice of grant for its innovative HiPurA® patent within New Zealand from the New Zealand Intellectual Property Office (NZIPO).
- Grant of HiPurA® Patent in New Zealand
- ChemX receives A$191,935 (Tranche 2) via R&D tax incentive loan facility
- HPA Pilot Plant Progress
This patent follows granting of the Australian Patent in February 20241 and further solidifies ChemX’s competitive edge in becoming a key producer of 4N (99.99%) and 5N (99.999%) HPA within Australasia. Further international jurisdictions are pending and ChemX is working with its patent advisors to have these granted.
Chief Executive Officer, Peter Lee said:
“Patent awards continue to underpin the global rollout of ChemX’s HiPurA® technology and the Company looks forward to accelerating its commercialisation strategy in the key markets including LEDs, semiconductors and electrical vehicles following the successful commissioning of the Pilot Plant and off take negotiations which have begun.”
“Importantly, ChemX expects additional international patents to awarded over time.”
Tranche 2 of R&D funding Received
ChemX’s HiPurA® Pilot Plant is being built in O’Connor, Western Australia and the Company pleased to advise it has also received A$191,935 (tranche 2) via Radium Capital loan facility (R&D funding method) secured against the estimated R&D Tax incentive refund for FY24.
Radium Capital is a R&D finance provider offering advance access to eligible R&D funds. ChemX Materials’ total FY24 eligible tax refund is estimated to be $A552,419, of which ChemX has now received 80% ($441,935). The final 20% (less interest and fees) is to be received in the final quarter of calendar 2024.
Pilot Plant Progress
ChemX previously announced the successful commissioning of the Pilot Plant Leach module, and this remains in a state of operational readiness. Delays have been experienced in the construction of the Solvent Extraction (SX) module due to longer than expected lead times on key process equipment and delivery of electrical infrastructure.
During this period, ChemX has embarked upon increased safety measures including:
- Completing the installation of double containment bunds and additional double walled storage vessels
- Development of enhanced safety systems supporting wireless integrated control with interlocks, alarms, and shutdown/startup automation
- Development of enhanced control capabilities for optimisation of key process parameters including historization and online trend analysis
The above initiatives deliver improved layers of safety with regard to solvent (SX area) management and provide inventory hold points within the process where purity may be quantitatively tested/verified against expected elemental purity before processing further. These cost saving measures negate unnecessary processing of sub-standard interim process batches, build towards key commercial plant design considerations, and unlock advanced process optimisation capabilities.
Figure 1 – ChemX HiPurA® Solvent Extraction (SX) module completed, pending energisation infrastructure installation
ChemX has achieved operational readiness within Precipitation, Drying and Calcination areas and expects Reagent delivery systems to achieve operational readiness status in October 2024. Other key statutory activities including waste-water disposal permitting and chemical storage & handling permitting pre- requisites are in progress and advancing well.
Click here for the full ASX Release
This article includes content from ChemX Materials, licensed for the purpose of publishing on Investing News Australia. This article does not constitute financial product advice. It is your responsibility to perform proper due diligence before acting upon any information provided here. Please refer to our full disclaimer here.
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ChemX Materials
Overview
ChemX Materials (ASX:CMX) is a critical materials company developing innovative processing technology to produce high purity alumina for advanced technology and clean energy applications.
ChemX Materials’ 100 percent owned, Australian patented HiPurA® process technology offers a low cost and energy intensity production method to produce high purity alumina (HPA).
HPA is used in advanced technology and clean energy applications including lithium-ion batteries, LEDs, semiconductors and synthetic sapphires. Synthetic sapphires are critical in the production of applications such as smart watches, iPhones and laptop screens.
Company Highlights
- ChemX Materials Limited (ChemX Materials) is an Australian company developing an innovative, processing technology to produce high-purity alumina (HPA), this process is called HiPurA®.
- ChemX Materials owns 100 percent of HiPurA® and was granted an Australian patent for this technology in January 2024.
- High purity alumina is used in advanced technology and clean energy applications including lithium-ion batteries, LEDs, semiconductors, smart watches and iPhones.
- The HiPurA® process is modular, scalable and uses a readily available aluminous chemical as its feedstock, therefore is not reliant on mine production offtake, all of which enable the technology to be deployed close to end users' manufacturing operations.
- ChemX Materials has proven HiPurA® can produce above 4N (99.99 percent) high purity alumina at micro plant scale. This testwork indicates HiPurA® is low in cost and energy intensity.
- ChemX Materials is constructing a pilot plant to demonstrate HiPurA® can work at scale, which is the next step towards commercialisation. The pilot plant construction is underway and on track for commissioning in June 2024.
Key Business Segments
High Purity Alumina Processing Technology - HiPurA®
ChemX Materials is developing an innovative processing technology to produce high-purity alumina (HPA). This process is called HiPurA®. ChemX Materials owns 100 percent and holds an Australian patent for HiPurA®. ChemX Materials has proven HiPurA® can produce above 4N (99.99 percent) pure HPA at micro plant scale. This test work has also demonstrated that HiPurA® is superior compared to alternative technologies, offering several advantages, including:
- Lower costs – both capital and operating.
- Independent feedstock - – process is not tied to mine production and uses a readily available aluminous industrial chemical.
- Easily scalable – production output can increase based on demand.
- Modular – can be built near end users’ manufacturing operations.
- Optionality – patented technology can be licenced to end users.
- Lower carbon footprint – technology is not energy intensive.
HPA has several applications, the most important being lithium-ion batteries used in electric vehicles (EVs) and energy storage applications. HPA is used in the coating of the battery separator to enhance safety and performance. The outlook for EVs is very promising. With the adoption of EVs growing rapidly year on year as governments across the globe deploy domestic incentives and regulations to reduce the use of internal combustion engines to meet net zero targets.
HPA is also a key in the production of synthetic sapphire, which is used in LEDs, semiconductors, lasers, optical lenses and medical devices.
ChemX Materials has proven its HiPurA® technology can achieve above 99.99 percent (4N) HPA purity at micro plant scale. Following the technical success of the micro plant, ChemX Materials is constructing a 24 tpa pilot plant in Western Australia. The pilot plant is expected to be operational in June 2024.
In January 2024, ChemX Materials was granted an Australian Patent for its innovative HiPurA® technology. Based on the success of the Australian patent, it is anticipated that ChemX Materials will be afforded similar protections in other international jurisdictions. The patent is important as it provides intellectual property protection as ChemX Materials seeks to commercialise the technology globally.
HPA production from the pilot plant will be used for customer qualification and marketing purposes. ChemX Materials is actively pursuing commercial opportunities globally. Commercialisation options include:
- Build, own, operate a commercial scale plant to sell high purity alumina to end users.
- Licence the HiPurA® technology for deployment at end users’ manufacturing locations.
High Purity Manganese Project
ChemX Materials is developing a high purity manganese project. The Jamieson Tank project is located on two exploration tenements, EL 5920 and EL 6634 in the Eyre Peninsula in South Australia. These tenements collectively cover an area of 718 km2.
ChemX Materials completed a 94-hole drill program at the Jamieson Tank project, totaling 6,164 metres and released its maiden Mineral Resource Estimate in September 2023. The Mineral Resource Estimate reported 13.1 Mt at 5.7 percent manganese, with 21 percent classified as Indicated and 79 percent classified as Inferred.
High purity manganese has essential applications in lithium-ion batteries as a cathode material. Manganese provides energy density, stability and lower costs and is a critical material for modern battery chemistries. As the world pursues decarbonisation it is forecasted that the demand for manganese will grow.
With the objective of the United States Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) to reduce its reliance on Chinese sources of critical minerals, by 2025, the Jamieson Tank project is an important prospect. China currently supplies around 95 percent of the global manganese sulphate.
The South Australian jurisdiction offers excellent infrastructure. The Jamieson Tank project is in a province that is characterised by rapidly growing renewable energy infrastructure (wind, solar and hydrogen) and access to a local skilled workforce. The Jamieson Tank project is accessible by road, approximately 160 kms from the port of Whyalla and near a major regional airport.
The tenements in which the Jamieson Tank project is located also host kaolin and rare earth elements (REE) deposits. The area has historically been well known and explored for its potential for kaolin. The Kelly Tank exploration target is estimated to be 55 - 130 Mt of extractable kaolin.
In 2022, ChemX Materials undertook a drilling program and identified REE hosted within the kaolin throughout the tenements. The drilling program intersected high-grade REE mineralisation with intervals of up to 5 metres @2,468 parts per million total rare earth oxides from 7 metres. Importantly, it remains open in various directions, providing potential exploration upside for future drill programs.
Management Team
Peter Lee – Chief Executive Officer
20+ years’ experience across mining, metals processing and chemical industries within Canada and Australia. Lee has held technical leadership roles with companies including Rio Tinto, BHP, Roy Hill and WSPGolder. He is an expert in refining and electrochemical processes and a registered P. Eng Engineers and Geoscientists of British Columbia, Canada, and a member of AusIMM and AICD.
Warrick Hazeldine – Non-executive Chair
Warrick Haseldine has more than 20 years of experience across capital markets and strategic communications with a focus on battery materials. He is the co-founder of advisory firm Cannings Purple, and former chair and non-executive director of Global Lithium Resources Ltd (ASX:GL1). Hazeldine is currently a director of Surfing WA, advisory board member of Curtin University, and a non-executive director of Purple.
Stephen Strubel – Non-executive Director and Company Secretary
Stephen Strubel is the company founder with 20 years’ experience in finance and corporate governance. Struber held a senior leadership role with Patersons Securities and has been a director and company secretary for ASX-listed companies. He holds a bachelor’s degree in banking and international trade from Victoria University and an MBA from the Australian Institute of Business.
Alwyn Vorster – Non-executive Director
Alwyn Vorster has 30+ years’ experience in the resources industry, spanning several commodities including rare earths, iron ore, bauxite, potash and salt. Vorster has several senior leadership positions including chief executive officer of Hastings (ASX:HAS) and managing director of BCI Minerals (ASX:BCI) and Iron Ore Holdings (ASX:IOH). Vorster is currently non-executive director of Lindian Resources (ASX:LIN) and Arrow Minerals (ASX:AMD).
Strong Drilling Results from Tarraji-Yampi (80%, 100%)
HIGHLIGHTS
- Assays from a diamond drilling program (6 holes, 1,524.8m) at Tarraji-Yampi have been received. These holes were designed to test 6 Cu-Au volcanogenic massive sulphide (“VMS”) targets around the Orion deposit and to identify potential off-hole conductors.
- Significant results were returned from the Orion, Orion Repeat, Orion Offset and OR1 targets:
Orion and Orion Repeat: KMDD001: 3m @ 4.5% Cu, 2.2g/t Au, 46.0 g/t Ag, 0.15% Co from 58.3m
And: 16m @ 0.7% Zn, 0.7% Pb, 12.7g/t Ag, 0.1g/t Au from 162m
Including:2m @ 2.6% Zn, 1.1% Pb, 26.8g/t Ag, 0.1g/t Au from 173m
Orion Offset: KMDD004: 5m @ 0.4% Cu, 0.5 g/t Ag from 11m
And: 1m @ 1.3% Zn, 0.7% Pb, 32.2g/t Ag, 0.1g/t Au from 23m
And a 50,000S conductor spanning ~150m x 150m, located ~100m down dip
And: 2m @ 0.9% Zn, 0.2% Pb, 3.8g/t Ag from 106m
And a 15,000S conductor spanning ~90m x 140m located ~80m down dip
OR1: KMDD006: 6m @ 1.2% Cu, 0.08% Co from 27m
Including: 2m @ 2.0% Cu, 0.19% Co from 28m
And a 24,300S conductor spanning ~80m x 200m, located ~180m down dip
- Additionally, a strong 14,500S off hole conductor spanning ~335m x 350m was defined at OR2.
- Results from the regional IP survey are expected in October 2024.
Dreadnought’s Managing Director, Dean Tuck, commented: “This drilling program was designed to identify new zones of mineralisation within and around the same feeder structures as Orion to better understand the Cu-Au VMS system. This program has delivered 6 new zones of mineralisation and four off-hole conductors that warrant follow up drilling. This is a successful outcome for the program and validation of the VMS model of mineralisation. As part of this program, an EIS co-funded IP survey was undertaken to test the effectiveness of IP at identifying Grant’s Find style Epithermal / Mesothermal Cu-Au mineralisation. The significant intersection of this style of mineralisation at OR1 underscores the importance of this work and we expect the results of that survey in October 2024.”
Figure 1: Photo of the Topdrill diamond rig at Orion Repeat.
Technical Discussion of Diamond Drilling
In the Phase 1 drill program (6 holes, 1,640m), 5 of the 6 targets were located along the same interpreted feeder structure as the Orion deposit and were defined by highly conductive, magnetic anomalies associated with elevated pathfinder geochemistry. These targets include the depth extension of Orion. The 6-hole Phase 1 drill program targets are discussed and summarised below.
Click here for the full ASX Release
This article includes content from Dreadnought Resources, licensed for the purpose of publishing on Investing News Australia. This article does not constitute financial product advice. It is your responsibility to perform proper due diligence before acting upon any information provided here. Please refer to our full disclaimer here.
ChemX Materials Investor Kit
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