Impact Minerals (ASX:IPT) has reported significant technical advances in the first 12 months of its $2.9 million Cooperative Research Centre Program, supporting the development of its 80%-owned Lake Hope High Purity Alumina Project in Western Australia.
The research, conducted in partnership with CPC Engineering and the Mineral Recovery Research Centre at Edith Cowan University, focuses on integrating advanced membrane technologies into Impact's patented three-stage HPA process, which has already demonstrated one of the lowest global operating costs per tonne of HPA in its pre-feasibility study.
Key achievements include successful membrane crystallisation to recover high-purity (>94%) sulphate of potash as a valuable by-product from Stage 1 of the HPA flowsheet, while also achieving high water recovery suitable for reuse, reducing environmental impact and operating costs.