The project, to be undertaken by rapidly growing company Alpha HPA, is expected to create around 100 jobs for the region.

“This project is a fantastic announcement for the Gladstone Region and one that Council fully supports,” Councillor Burnett said.

“The potential for high purity alumina in future industry and manufacturing is obvious and Gladstone’s local industry will be able to work together with Alpha HPA to capitalise on this.

“Orica has already signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Alpha HPA to be their supplier of key process reagents and the offtake of the by-product, therefore creating a circular economy and reducing waste.

“This is a great example of industry diversification in Gladstone and Council is encouraging end users of this product to co-locate near the HPA plant.

“I’d like to thank both the State Government and Minister for State Development Cameron Dick for recognising Gladstone as the logical choice for this exciting project.

“The future of the alumina industry in Gladstone is looking good.”

Minister for State Development Cameron Dick said he was pleased Gladstone was selected as the location for the advanced manufacturing business, after competing with two potential interstate sites in Newcastle, New South Wales and Kwinana, Western Australia.

“This is a great opportunity for Gladstone,” Mr Dick said.

“Delivery of this project would support around 100 new jobs in a new emerging industry with global demand.

“High purity alumina is a rapidly-growing market, being fuelled by the rising demand for hightechnology items, such as lithium-ion battery separators used in electric vehicles, particularly in China and Europe.”

Member for Gladstone Glenn Butcher said it was the existing facilities and workforce in Gladstone that ultimately won the bid.

“Our extensive infrastructure, industrial processing facilities and skilled workforce led Alpha HPA to select a 9.2-hectare site in the Gladstone State Development Area which is owned by the state government,” Mr Butcher said.

“With the Port of Gladstone nearby and export-ready, and the proposed site located close to likely suppliers whose by-product will be used to extract the high purity alumina, it’s the ideal location.”

Rimas Kairaitis from Alpha HPA said it’s an exciting time for the Australian Company as it progresses from a pilot plant to a large-scale advanced manufacturing business.

“A successful pilot plant has been operating in Brisbane, since July 2019, and using a low-cost extraction process we are producing around 3kg daily of >99.99 per cent pure alumina.

“We believe there is building global demand for our high purity alumina, with circa 70 lithium ion battery mega-factories under construction across four continents to meet the electric vehicle demand.”

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