Australia invests A$400m in alumina amid global critical minerals race

AUSTRALIAN aluminum manufacturer Alpha HPA is set to benefit from a A$400m (US$258m) government cash injection, reinforcing the country’s ambition to become a critical minerals leader.

Alpha HPA will use the funding, part of the government’s A$4bn Critical Minerals Facility, to deliver Australia’s first high-purity alumina processing facility in Gladstone, Queensland.

Alumina is the core mineral used to make aluminum, which is used to produce lithium-ion batteries, LED lighting, and semiconductors.

The facility will process more than 10,000 t/y of high-purity aluminum products, and Alpha HPA said it will run solely on renewable energy and 70% lower carbon processes compared to the company’s traditional methods.

The Critical Minerals Facility will also invest A$185m in Renascor Resources’ Siviour Graphite Project, a graphite mining reserve in South Australia. The project has a potential mine life of 40 years and aims to produce 150,000 t/y of graphite concentrates.

Global fight for critical minerals stake

Australia’s Critical Mineral Strategy aims to make the country a world leader in raw mineral production and renewable energy.

Madeleine King, Australian minister for resources, said: “Australia’s critical minerals and rare earths are key to building renewable technologies such solar panels, batteries and wind farms, as well as defense and medical technologies.”

The strategy is part of the country’s efforts to wean itself off Chinese critical mineral exports. China currently has a monopoly on the market, holding a majority in the production and processing of minerals like lithium, graphite, and copper.