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ChemX Materials Ltd (ASX: CMX) (ChemX or Company), an Australian based high purity critical materials developer, is delighted to announce recent results from its High Purity Alumina (HPA) Micro Plant operations, located in Perth, Western Australia.
- Micro Plant achieves 4N (99.99%) purity High Purity Alumina (HPA) across 66 elements critical for the global battery and energy transition market.
- ChemX products on the pathway to deliver high purity materials to the global battery industry, the synthetic sapphire markets, LEDs, semi-conductor and optical lenses for testing and qualification, subject to suitable quantities of HPA being produced.
- ChemX’s 100%-owned HiPurA® technology delivers key milestone within 12 months since commissioning HPA facility.
- The HiPurA® process is modular, scalable and independent of direct mine production, which enables ChemX to locate key future production facilities close to customers in a just-in-time customised approach.
ChemX’s 100%-owned HiPurA® chemical feedstock process has delivered an outstanding 4N (99.99%) HPA result across an impressive 66 element spectrum. The Company is now working to ensure repeatability of this result through continued plant optimisation as it seeks to scale up the process to pilot plant scale.
Importantly, achieving a 4N product involves a sample quality with impurities of less than 100 parts per million and this quality is what is required for testing and qualification to commence for the global battery separator market.
In late CY2022, ChemX commissioned its Integrated HPA Facility with the goal of advancing the scale up of the HiPurA® HPA flowsheet from laboratory scale to continuous operation.
Chief Executive Officer, Peter Lee commented:
“The Company is extremely proud to have achieved an outstanding result from our Micro Plant, with detailed logged data from feedstock delivery through each stage of the process being achieved.
“I’d like to acknowledge our best-in-class team who have succeeded in calibration of the novel HiPurA® process with highly effective removal of deleterious elements.
“This is a proud day for CMX shareholders and the team,” Mr Lee said.
“Today’s break through validates the disruptive nature of the HiPurA® process and ChemX views that the ability to achieve bespoke high purity (4N) outcomes in a locally-based, scalable, modular format may be a game-changer for gigafactory feedstock management”.
“Importantly, data obtained during the optimisation of the Micro Plant will be included in the current Pilot Plant (design) which will produce sufficient sample volumes for global customer qualification,” Mr Lee said.
Next steps:
The World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) issued an International Preliminary Report on Patentability for the HiPurA® process, finding that claims 1-26 complied with requirements for novelty, inventive step and industrial applicability. The International Patent Application process is ongoing.
The Company is moving forward to make further strategic investments in high purity analytical equipment and necessary resources to speed process iteration and optimisation. Process control data logged during production will work to ensure robust repeatability.
The Company has achieved solid results which satisfy known commercial specifications for HPA, but has been driving the HiPurA® process beyond this distinction to instead achieve an outstanding result across an impressive 66 element spectrum, validating the exceptional efficacy of the HiPurA® process.
Figure 1. ChemX Chemist with Atomic Absorption Spectrometer (AAS)
Table 1. Results of HPA Analysis
Notes:
1) ‘Major Elements’ listed represent the 14 elements most commonly reported within commercial HPA specifications.
2) Analysis conducted by LabWest Minerals Analysis Pty Ltd. (NATA accredited Laboratory)
2) Analysis Method – Microwave Digest, HF/Multiacid, 66 Elements including REE’s by ICP-MS/OES.
3) Complete analysis provided in Appendix A
About the HiPurA® 100% owned process
CMX’s HiPurA® process is a disruptive flowsheet which converts aluminous chemical feedstocks through selective refining to HPA. Ultimately, CMX aims to achieve the delivery of 4N high grade and potentially 5N (99.999%) HPA products for the electric vehicle battery separator and synthetic sapphire markets, LEDs, semi-conductor and optical lenses.
The HiPurA® process is modular, scalable and independent of direct mine production, which enables ChemX to locate key future production facilities close to customers in a just-in-time customised approach.
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 – 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).
Heritage Clearances Received for Priority Drill Targets at Abbotts North
HIGHLIGHTS
- Heritage clearances have been received for areas covering priority lithium pegmatite targets at the Abbotts North Project.
- Main Buttamiah Prospect now accessible for the February RC program
- Track and drill pad establishment has commenced and RC drilling rig is mobilising to site.
Richard Taylor, CEO of Premier1, said:
“With the receipt of the heritage survey report and the recent approval of the Programme of Work applications by the Department of Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety, we now have in place all the environmental and heritage approvals required for the first drilling program at Abbotts North. I thank the traditional owners of Abbotts North, the Ngoonooru Wajarri, for their advice and involvement in the process.
With site mobilisation having commenced and the RC rig already on its way, this is an important and exciting phase for Premier1.”
Priority Targets
The survey area covers the main Buttamiah Prospect where several parallel lithium bearing pegmatites have been mapped and sampled. The pegmatites strike approximately east west and single pegmatites can be traced in strike over an extended area. The RC program has been designed to test the depth and extent of the mineralised pegmatite field.
There remain further priority targets at the Abbotts North Project based on the latest completion of the first phase of field mapping, rock chip sampling and soil geochemistry in December 2023. The results from the soil survey highlighted areas of interest with anomalous responses comparable to the geochemical signature over the main Buttamiah Prospect (ASX 22 January 2024). Further follow up fieldwork will be conducted to assess these new priority targets and plan for further heritage clearance surveys.
Heritage Survey
The first heritage clearance survey at Abbotts North was completed by Archaeological Excavations Pty Ltd in conjunction with the Ngoonooru Wajarri people, who are the traditional owners of the lands and waters. The survey was conducted over several days, with participants from Archaelogical Excavations, the traditional owners and Premier1.
Figure 1: Abbotts North Survey Area.
Programme of Work (“PoW”) approvals have been received from the Department of Mines, Industry Regulations and Safety (“DMIRS”) for 4.92ha of land within Exploration Licence E51/2126 (Table 1).
Premier1 Lithium now has in place sufficient PoW and heritage clearances to conduct RC drilling over the main target areas at the Abbotts North Project. The first drilling program is planned for approximately 2,000m. The focus is to define the continuity and extent of lithium mineralisation evident in rock chip samples taken from surface within the main Buttamiah Prospect.
Click here for the full ASX Release
This article includes content from SensOre, 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
- Corporate info
- Insights
- Growth strategies
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