Sponsored Content for Iggy Tan

Altech Batteries says a definitive feasibility study shows it will be able to pump out 20 per cent more power than expected at its proposed Cerenergy sodium chloride solid-state grid battery plant in Germany. Through technical design optimisation, alongside lead engineering company Leadec and joint venture partner Fraunhofer, Altech believes it will now be able to produce 120 of its 1MWh “GridPacks” per year.

Altech Batteries has unveiled the new design for its 60KWh Cerenergy sodium chloride solid-state battery pack and now has two prototypes under construction by its project partner, the Fraunhofer Institute in the German city of Dresden. The pack has been upgraded to improve structural integrity, cell retention and connectivity, heat loss and insulation and the ability to endure all temperature extremes.

Lithium Universe is another step closer to establishing its proposed Quebec lithium processing hub after securing global consulting heavyweight Hatch to undertake the engineering study for its downstream lithium carbonate refinery in Canada. The first part of the study will be to determine the ideal location for the 16,000 tonnes per annum lithium carbonate refinery and the estimated capital and operating costs.

Altech Batteries has notched up a win that will see permitting for its 100MWh battery project in Germany go through State approval, bypassing the more complex Federal process and expediting its mission. The company is in joint venture with Fraunhofer IKTS to commercialise the battery plant, which is designed to meet the demands of the stationary energy storage market.

Lithium Universe is one step closer to establishing its proposed Quebec lithium processing hub after appointing Primero Group as the lead manager to design its multi-purpose, stand-alone concentrator in Canada. Management says the appointment follows an extensive process to procure a contractor with suitable experience and capabilities to undertake the design of a stand-alone concentrator to process one million tonnes per year of spodumene ore.

Lithium Universe is on the ground at its Apollo project in Canada's James Bay, armed with a helicopter and a swag of targets generated by artificial intelligence – less than a month after re-listing on the ASX. The company has used a combination of satellite imagery, geophysics and fieldwork ahead of testing a regional faulted greenstone belt running through Apollo to Winsome Resources' Adina project.

Lithium Universe's promise to “build a lithium project in Canada as quick as we can” has been boosted by the appointment of experienced industry identity Patrick Scallan as non-executive director. Mr Scallan brings to the table his experience of running the massive lithium hard-rock mine at Greenbushes for 25 years, taking its annual output from 200,000 tonnes in 1997 up to 1.4 million tonnes.

Altech Batteries has revealed a vital update for key aspects of its Silumina Anodes pilot plant in the German State of Saxony to help progress its definitive feasibility study for a 10,000 tonnes per annum operation. The company says permitting, site design and supplier quotations are also advanced. An earlier prefeasibility study returned a net present value of US$507 million (AU$787 million).

Reimagined explorer Lithium Universe Limited will use artificial intelligence to assimilate imagery and data to assist development and optimisation of its exploration strategy at its Apollo lithium project in Canada. The company will use its AI information in concert with other geological data as part of an initial goal to fast-track exploration in its high-latitude project environment, where field-time has traditionally been restricted by the seasons.

From the sometimes dark and dingy bedroom corners that play home to online gaming, to the searingly bright lights of one of the world's hottest commodities, Lithium Universe has orchestrated a remarkable ASX transformation. Lithium Universe confirmed last Friday it had raised its maximum subscription of $4.5 million at a share price of 2 cents each, announcing itself a new lithium industry player.

European-focused Altech Batteries is seeking a green nod of approval for its Cerenergy sodium-chloride battery from renowned environmental research centre CICERO after a study found it emitted 50 per cent fewer greenhouse gases than lithium-ion batteries – and without needing critical metals, lithium and cobalt. Altech's planned Cerenergy battery plant in Saxony will utilise renewable energy sources to minimise its carbon footprint.

European-focused Altech Batteries has engaged a group of suppliers with extensive backgrounds in automation and robotics to help power its move into the next phase of plant construction as part of its Cerenergy battery project in Saxony, Germany. Management says the design of the plant is aimed at completing one battery cell every 45 seconds as the project's definitive feasibility study continues to gather momentum.

European-focused Altech Batteries has unveiled its preliminary specifications for two products aimed at the burgeoning grid power storage battery market, in a move it predicts will kickstart discussions with potential buyers. The storage batteries, which the Subiaco-based company says outperforms lithium-ion batteries on many levels, will be built in Germany in a joint venture with its partner, Fraunhofer IKTS.

Subiaco-based Altech Batteries has fast-tracked the final prototype of its unique battery pack that uses ordinary table variety salt instead of expensive and scarce minerals. The company's ABS60 battery pack, that it is planning to manufacture in Germany, is aimed at the burgeoning renewable energy and grid storage markets. Altech says it has the potential to be a “game-changer”.

ASX and Frankfurt-listed Altech Batteries has received A$5.12 million as the first of two deferred instalment payments from Frankfurt-listed Altech Advanced Materials for the purchase of 25 per cent of Aletch Batteries subsidiary Altech Industries Germany GmbH. The final instalment of 1.583 million euros or approximately A$2.5 million is payable in December 2023 completing the deal done in December 2020.

Altech Chemicals has attained a “Medium Green” rating for its proposed battery materials coating plant in Germany from independent Norwegian outfit, the Centre of International Climate and Environmental Research. A medium green classification potentially qualifies the plant as suitable for future financing through green bonds – a type of fixed-income instrument specifically earmarked to raise capital for projects that generate climate and environmental benefits.

Shares in Altech Chemicals soared by 50 per cent in intraday trading Thursday after the ASX-listed company delivered a breakthrough in utilising silicon in lithium-ion batteries. Altech says it has broken the “silicon barrier” by successfully applying its proprietary coating technology to produce a series of lithium-ion battery anode materials with a 30 per cent higher retention capacity than existing anode materials.

High purity alumina hopeful Altech Chemicals has set up a dedicated research, development and testwork laboratory in Perth as it looks to refine its graphite and silicon particle battery materials HPA coating technology. The company says the almost fully operational laboratory, previously occupied by an environmental consulting business, has been in a commissioning phase since May this year and was easily converted to meet its requirements.

Altech Chemicals has stepped up efforts to expand the use of high purity alumina, or “HPA” in the burgeoning lithium-ion battery market, filing a patent for its anode-coating technology with IP Australia. Demonstration of better battery performance through the use of an alumina-based battery anode coating could open up another lucrative new market for HPA from Altech's under-development US$280 million plant at Johor in Malaysia.

Altech Chemicals continues to power through its pre-feasibility study in Germany that is looking to firm up the economics of building a plant that can make use of Altech's high purity alumina coating technology. The company has now secured space for a research and development facility adjacent to a 14-hectare site in Saxony where it has extended an option over the site as it completes engineering and marketing studies for the plant.

Altech Chemicals has joined forces with Germany's SGL Carbon to explore the production of an alumina coated graphite product for use in the budding lithium-ion battery sector. The company will contribute its high purity alumina, or “HPA” product and proprietary coating technology to the project whilst SGL will deliver ongoing engineering support and treatment systems for the production of HPA powders.

High purity alumina developer, Altech Chemicals says the results from first-phase testing of batteries that contain graphite particles coated with its proprietary high purity alumina coating technology have been “positive and encouraging”. Test work will now proceed to the next stage involving further testing of battery charging and discharging with the aim of demonstrating repeatability and consistency.

ASX-listed Altech Chemicals' 75 per cent-owned German subsidiary, Altech Industries Germany is set to begin a pre-feasibility study on the potential construction of a battery materials high purity alumina coating plant in Germany. The company says the PFS will assess the commercial viability of building the plant, which would coat anode-grade battery materials with HPA using its own alumina coating technology.

Altech Chemicals has taken a giant leap towards securing the remaining financing required for its proposed US$280 million HPA processing plant at Johor in Malaysia, with preparations well under way for a US$144 million listed green bond instrument. Altech's Malaysian subsidiary plans to use US$100 million of the total amount raised as a secondary debt facility for the partial funding of plant construction costs.

ASX-listed high purity alumina player, Altech Chemicals says it has kicked off battery performance testing of graphite particles that have been coated with HPA using its alumina-coating technology. It comes after what the Perth-based company described as the successful demonstration of the technology to coat graphite particles, typical of those used in anode applications within lithium-ion batteries, with a nano layer of HPA.

ASX-listed high purity alumina hopeful, Altech Chemicals has finalised the terms of a staggered €5 million sale of a 25 per cent interest in German subsidiary, Altech Industries Germany to Frankfurt Stock Exchange-listed Altech Advanced Materials. Perth-based Altech, who retains ownership of the other 75 per cent of AIG, says it has now received the initial cash payment of €250,000 under the terms of the agreed deal.

ASX-listed high purity alumina hopeful, Altech Chemicals, has linked up with an international silicon powder supplier to collaborate on the development of a long-life silicon anode active material targeted for use in lithium-ion batteries. Spain-based Silicio FerroSolar, part of the global Ferroglobe group, produces high purity-grade silicon found in a growing list of applications and is developing tailor-made silicon powders for the anode of lithium-ion batteries.

Altech Chemicals has agreed to sell a 25 per cent stake in its German subsidiary, Altech Industries Germany, for €5 million – or about A$8.3 million. Frankfurt Stock Exchange-listed Altech Advanced Materials will buy the AIG stake, delivering the ASX-listed parent company a useful cash harvest that will help advance its Malaysian high purity alumina play.

ASX-listed high purity alumina player, Altech Chemicals, has received a commitment for a €7.38 million grant from the state Government of Saxony in Germany towards the potential development of a HPA plant in the east German state. It comes after the company recently signed an option agreement to purchase approximately 10 hectares of industrial land in the Schwarze Pumpe Industrial Park in the Spreetal municipality of Saxony.

Altech Chemicals looks set to stamp its mark on lithium battery technology continuing the development of a revolutionary high purity alumina coating for use in anode production. The coating shows the potential to extend the life of lithium-ion batteries, increase their overall capacity and enhance their chargeability. The company is developing the technology to incorporate into its product stream for manufacture from its HPA plant currently under construction in Malaysia.

ASX-listed high purity alumina player Altech Chemicals has reached the next construction milestone of its proposed US$280 million processing plant development at Johor Bahru in Malaysia as it works towards a production start-up target of 2023. Engineering, procurement, construction and commissioning contractor, German engineering firm SMS, has now completed the remaining component of the Johor Bahru project's stage two work – an electrical substation – at the Altech plant site.

Altech Chemicals' research in Germany on high purity alumina used in lithium-ion batteries shows that only the pinnacle quality of HPA is safe and efficient. The research underscores Altech's high quality “4N” HPA product and makes stark comparison to lower quality products sometimes used that were shown to leach sodium from the batteries and cause discharge problems.

Altech Chemicals has been given an official “green” classification for its Malaysian high purity alumina project from an independent research centre, opening the door to the “green bond market” that was valued at nearly USD$250b last year. Green bonds are an environmentally conscious financing instrument used by investors who are looking to invest in environmentally sustainable projects.

Altech Chemicals is continuing research at the Fraunhofer Institute for Ceramic Technologies and Systems in Dresden, Germany on HPA battery applications with a focus on lithium-ion battery separator technology and the impact of alumina impurities on battery safety. Altech also said this week that construction at its Malaysian HPA plant had been suspended due to the imposition of a COVID-19 movement control order.

Altech Chemicals is close to enlisting financial heavyweight, Macquarie, to provide USD$90m worth of mezzanine debt for its Malaysian HPA plant, potentially avoiding issuing a large slab of stock to get its project into production. In a London meeting held recently, Macquarie re-affirmed its interest in potentially providing the mezzanine debt for Altech's project that could spit out over AUD$100m a year in free cash, according to the company.

With billions of dollars being ploughed into new battery factories around the globe, Altech Chemicals says that its 4N high purity alumina product will potentially be in even greater demand in the next generation of “solid state” lithium-ion batteries. As the market looks to move away from liquid electrolyte batteries, Altech says its HPA will still be required and potentially in even greater quantities for solid state batteries.

Altech Chemicals will update the resource estimate at its promising Kerrigan kaolin project near Hyden in the WA Wheatbelt after successfully completing a drilling program. Whilst the Meckering kaolin deposit will provide feedstock for Altech's soon-to-be-built HPA plant in Malaysia, Kerrigan also appears to host a high-purity kaolin deposit . Altech is partly financing its HPA plant with a loan that is guaranteed by the German Government.

Altech Chemicals is inching closer to production of high-purity alumina after completing Stage 1 of construction at its HPA plant in Malaysia, both on time and budget. The company is now progressing Stage 2, which includes the development of an on-site electrical substation for the processing facility. Altech will produce 4,500 tonnes a year of HPA sourced from pure kaolin clays in WA.

Altech Chemicals has been invited by the Saxony State Government in east Germany, to consider building a second HPA plant to lever off the burgeoning lithium-ion battery and EV manufacturing hub in that region. Saxony is one of the leading vehicle construction areas in Germany, with Volkswagen, BMW, Porsche and Daimler all operating plants in the State.

Altech Chemicals has raised $18m through a share placement to support the Stage 2 engineering and construction works for its high purity alumina plant in southern Malaysia. The company is planning to produce up to 4,500 tonnes annually of HPA at its Malaysian plant from very pure kaolin clays sourced from a shallow open pit mine near Meckering in WA, which has low levels of impurities.