Impact Minerals is charging towards the high-purity alumina (HPA) market, revealing a pre-feasibility study (PFS) for its Lake Hope project in Western Australia.
The company said the PFS confirms that Lake Hope could be among the lowest cost producers of HPA globally, by a potential margin of at least 30 per cent.
Located 500km southeast of Perth, Lake Hope has delivered strong economic metrics, including a pre-tax NPV10 (net present value discounted by 10 per cent) of $1.165 billion and capital expenditure of $259 million.
Operating costs sit at a competitive $US5860 ($9002) per tonne, with the potential to drop below $US4500 ($9614) when by-product credits are applied.
“In just over two short years since acquiring the rights to the project, we have proven that Lake Hope’s unique natural feedstock, combined with a straight-forward flowsheet, offers one of the most capital-efficient and environmentally responsible pathways to high-purity alumina production globally,” Impact Minerals managing director Mike Jones said.
“The project’s strong margins, minimal carbon footprint, and ability to deliver 4N product without critical reagents or complex processing provides us with a clear competitive advantage as the HPA market enters a phase of rapid growth.”
Lake Hope’s maiden ore reserve of 1.7 million tonnes at 26 per cent aluminium oxide provides 450,000 tonnes (t) of contained alumina.
The mine has the potential to be a major producer of HPA, with steady-state production of 10,000t per annum following a two-year ramp up and an initial 33-year mine life.
Impact has elected to move to 80 per cent ownership of Playa One, which owns Lake Hope and two key patents.
With the PFS complete, the company will now fast-track a definitive feasibility study and the construction of a pilot plant supported by a Federal Government grant.
Impact is also integrating its recently acquired HiPurA downstream technology to accelerate market entry and create a vertically integrated supply chain.
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