Alumina technologist and rare earths explorer ABx Group’s 83% owned subsidiary, Alcore has received an initial AUD 3.3 million of an almost AUD 7.6 million grant to support the development of an aluminium bath recycling plant at Bell Bay in Tasmania. It will be used to support the ongoing construction of a similar pilot plant on NSW’s Central Coast.A waste product from an aluminium smelter called “excess bath” will be used in the pilot plant to recover fluorine and turn it into hydrogen fluoride. The hydrogen fluoride will then undergo additional reactions in the industrial facility to produce aluminium fluoride - a lucrative chemical used in the smelting of aluminium in addition to its use in ceramic glazes and enamels.Despite Alcore already launching works to establish an aluminium smelting pilot plant in NSW the company is planning a production plant in Tasmania owing to its proximity to a major aluminium smelter and the ready supply of waste product.The pharmaceutical, food and beverage sectors are also touted as potential markets for Alcore’s product and the company says in the future the material could be used as a separator material for lithium-ion batteries.
Alumina technologist and rare earths explorer ABx Group’s 83% owned subsidiary, Alcore has received an initial AUD 3.3 million of an almost AUD 7.6 million grant to support the development of an aluminium bath recycling plant at Bell Bay in Tasmania. It will be used to support the ongoing construction of a similar pilot plant on NSW’s Central Coast.A waste product from an aluminium smelter called “excess bath” will be used in the pilot plant to recover fluorine and turn it into hydrogen fluoride. The hydrogen fluoride will then undergo additional reactions in the industrial facility to produce aluminium fluoride - a lucrative chemical used in the smelting of aluminium in addition to its use in ceramic glazes and enamels.Despite Alcore already launching works to establish an aluminium smelting pilot plant in NSW the company is planning a production plant in Tasmania owing to its proximity to a major aluminium smelter and the ready supply of waste product.The pharmaceutical, food and beverage sectors are also touted as potential markets for Alcore’s product and the company says in the future the material could be used as a separator material for lithium-ion batteries.
