Alcoa and FYI are working together as part of a memorandum of understanding signed in September to jointly develop FYI's fully integrated, high quality HPA project, with demonstration of a pilot plant a condition of the MoU.

FYI's processing flowsheet design produces high purity, high quality HPA, with previous trials producing outstanding quality HPA, which is being assessed by potential off takers.

The joint pilot plant trial achieved purity of 99.998% aluminium oxide, which was higher than anticipated.

This was due to tweaks made to the flowsheet and the use of a different feedstock.

FYI managing director Roland Hill said the company was delighted with the exceptional results from the joint pilot plant trial.

"The achievement continues to demonstrate the outstanding qualities of our flowsheet in delivering consistent and reliably high quality HPA product, a key requirement from a customer perspective," he said.

"FYI is encouraged by the outcomes of the pilot plant and will continue to progress with the development of our HPA strategy and advancing the MoU conditions with Alcoa."

HPA samples from the trial will be sent to EAG Laboratories in New York for further elevated glow discharge mass spectrometry analysis.

They will then be sent to potential offtake partners for further product qualification.