Sustainable Smelter Grade Alumina

Alumina (Al2O3) is primarily used as a feedstock for the production of metallurgic aluminum. Current source of alumina is through the processing of bauxite which produces approximately 4 tonnes of toxic red mud tailings for every tonne of aluminum made. These massive tailings ponds are a major environmental risk. By using anorthosite for the production of smelter grade alumina, this risk can be completely eliminated as there are no tailings and only saleable byproducts.

Key Benefits:

  • Anorthosite is easily leachable due to high solubility in hydrochloric acid

  • +85% of the aluminum goes into solution

  • Aluminum solution is free of heavy metals and silica

  • Zero waste produced

  • Saleable byproducts are amorphous silica and calcium carbonate. Calcium carbonate can be used to make CO2 free cement.

  • Flowsheet has already been proven on a lab scale. There is no black box technology, all processes are known and scalable.

  • R&D is ongoing at SGS Lakefield lab in Canada