Impact Minerals (ASX: IPT) has confirmed that its 50%-owned associate Alluminous has shipped approximately 15 kilograms of HiPurA high purity alumina (HPA) to Charge CCCV LLC (C4V) in the US for initial test work.
The work comes under the Technology Development Agreement the parties signed in December last year.
The shipment marks the first significant quantities of HPA produced and dispatched from the Alluminous pilot plant in Perth, just nine months after Impact’s investment in the technology.
The material will undergo formal testing within C4V’s laboratory and pilot-scale facilities to advance product qualification for downstream lithium-ion battery markets.
C4V Collaboration Advances Qualification
Alluminous’ partnership with C4V focuses on testing, engineering and validation to convert HiPurA HPA into a material suitable for direct use in lithium-ion battery manufacturing.
Independent performance data generated at C4V’s facilities is expected to support product approval and further customer engagement.
Alluminous managing director David Leavy recently met with the C4V technical team in New York to align the scope and sequencing of the test work program and review integration within the broader US battery technology ecosystem.
C4V operates from the Centre of Excellence at Binghamton University in New York state, a lithium-ion research hub led by Professor M Stanley Whittingham.
Professor Whittingham was awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 2019 for his role in developing lithium-ion batteries.
Transition to Continuous Operation
The Perth pilot plant is currently operating successfully in batch mode, producing HPA and precursor materials in line with internal quality specifications.
The next key performance indicator is achieving continuous mode operation during the coming quarter to support sustained sample production and more robust qualification activities.
Initial assessments suggest the facility may be capable of substantial increases in throughput beyond the original design, with further work underway to quantify capacity and associated capital requirements.
Alluminous has appointed Peter Barnes as chief operating officer to oversee pilot plant optimisation, manage the scoping study process, and plan project scale-up from pilot through feasibility and commercialisation.
Ongoing US Market Engagement
Alluminous has continued market engagement in the US, with Mr Leavy undertaking meetings with investors, strategic advisors and industry participants in New York, Washington, and San Francisco.
Engagements included discussions around the role of high purity alumina across battery, AI, data centre, defence, semiconductor, optics, and photonics markets.
“To see this amount of HPA produced after less than three years in the HPA business is a very exciting development for Impact,” managing director Dr Mike Jones said.
“This tangible milestone demonstrates execution capability and moves us closer to product qualification in technically demanding battery markets.”
“Meeting with the C4V technical team in New York helped align expectations and sequencing of the testwork program, and we look forward to integrating performance feedback as it comes in,” Mr Leavy added.
