The Queensland Government will invest in a company that is turning locally produced alumina into sapphic glass for smart watches and phones.
The $100 million investment will be made through the Queensland Critical Minerals and Battery Technology Fund (QCMBTF) to aluminium producer Alpha HPA’s Gladstone facility.
The QCMBTF is managed by the Queensland Investment Corporation and it supports businesses across the critical minerals supply chain to position Queensland for the next critical minerals resources boom.
The investment will accelerate the delivery of two purpose-built furnaces used to produce sapphire glass.
The units provided to Alpha HPA will allow it to produce more than four tonnes of sapphire glass from high purity alumina (HPA) per annum.
“Alpha HPA is delighted to have reached agreement with QIC on funding for Alpha Sapphire and for the broader support from QIC and the Queensland Government to support private sector investment to add value via downstream processing of Queensland’s materials,” Alpha HPA managing director Rimas Kairaitis said.
Sapphic glass has strong durability, making it an ideal material to use in micro-LEDs and smartphone screens.
The Queensland Government said local production of sapphire glass in the State will allow it to capture significant value in the advanced materials supply chain and unlock new export opportunities.
“Gladstone has a proud history of being at the forefront of developing Queensland’s mineral wealth. Now, this industrial powerhouse can become a hub for world-leading advanced manufacturing thanks to Queensland’s leadership in the development of critical minerals,” Queensland Treasurer and Minister for Trade and Investment Cameron Dick said.
“Through this $100 million Fund and our $245 million Queensland Critical Minerals Strategy, we can turn Queensland’s mineral wealth into new jobs in new industries, especially in regional Queensland.”
