Alumina Refineries’ Next Generation Transition (ALUMINEXT) Project – HILT CRC Upscaling of novel green thermally assisted beneficiation pathways and impact of beneficiation on DRI and pellet production

The Challenge

The next generation Bayer Process needs to be optimised to ensure that it is economically viable for future alumina production. There a several new technologies that need to be intergraded into the process , each with its own integration risk.

Proposed Solution

Develop enhanced kinetic models and product quality analysis to confirm the potential to produce Smelter Grade Alumina (SGA) in reactor environments more similar to those in industrial furnaces than the small lab-scale reactors used to date.

These models will mitigate risk and increase process efficiency in electrification or retrofitting/replacement.

More details of the fundamentals of these processes within the environments of alumina calciners (retrofitting or next generation) will then be studies to support the development of new calcination technology.  Preliminary evaluation of alternative configurations of steam recovery system will also be studied.

Proposed Benefits to WA

The project will unlock the opportunity to electrify the digestion and calcination process in alumina production in Western Australia.