Andromeda Metals Ltd. has dispatched its first commercial high-purity alumina (HPA) sample to Japan for evaluation by a high-tech manufacturing firm, following record-breaking purity achievements at its continuous pilot plant.
Independent analysis conducted by EAG Eurofins confirmed that 4N+ HPA samples derived from South Australia’s Great White Kaolin deposit reached a purity of up to 99.9989 per cent.
Out of three samples tested, two achieved the top 99.9989 per cent benchmark, while the third recorded 99.9986 per cent purity, far exceeding the commercial 4N threshold of 99.99 per cent alumina.
The inaugural shipment to Japan marks a major milestone in Andromeda’s global customer engagement program, with further evaluation samples scheduled for distribution to prospective international off-takers throughout the final quarter of 2026.
Andromeda Acting CEO Sarah Clarke said the pilot plant’s performance validates the company’s commercialisation strategy and patented processing technology.
“Sustained pilot-scale production of HPA and the commencement of evaluation activities with potential customers is an important step in advancing our HPA commercialisation strategy,” Clarke said.
“The HPA samples underpin our growing customer engagement program, which is supported by our recently announced strategic HPA Supply Heads of Agreement with Traxys, providing a pathway for customer engagement in the US.”
Clarke added that operational data gathered from the pilot plant is directly informing process optimisation, engineering design, and project definition for an upcoming pre-feasibility study.
The milestone builds on Andromeda’s 2025 HPA Scoping Study, which outlined a staged development scenario targeting up to 10,000 tonnes per annum. The study estimated a pre-tax net present value (NPV10) of approximately AU$1.48 billion and average annual EBITDA of AU$247 million.
The company plans to continue pilot operations through late 2026 to produce tailored amorphous and crystalline alpha-HPA samples, alongside testing the commercial viability of an amorphous silica by-product.
