Latrobe Magnesium Limited to Pioneer Method of Extraction from Fly Ash

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Researched by Industrial Info Resources (Perth, Australia)--Latrobe Magnesium Limited (ASX:LMG) (Melbourne, Australia) plans to become the first company to use a new extraction process that produces magnesium from fly ash. The patented process has been assessed and is based on a combined hydromet/thermal reduction that will extract the metal, enabling the development of the magnesium product. The fly ash that becomes the feedstock is a waste material from brown coal power generation.

The plant will be strategically located in the Latrobe Valley in Victoria, Australia, in the heart of Victoria's coal power generation precinct. The location provides access to an immediate supply of the feedstock.

Latrobe has been working with the Beijing Tieforce Engineering Company (BTE) in China. To date, Latrobe has been helping with industrial level testing on a 500-kilogram sample in a commercial operating environment. After a recent visit to the Latrobe Valley and Melbourne, BTE is also assisting the variables associated with the technical and timing aspects of the project. Latrobe is very interested in design changes that could positively affect the project, including the design of furnaces, the use of robots and the size of retorts.

Latrobe is also working with RWE AG (OTC:RWEOY) (Essen, Germany) to help assess the commercial viability of a hydromet process in Europe. European fly ash shows signs of being significantly different in size, and therefore beneficial to the company. In conjunction with the commercial viability studies, Latrobe is also working with Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) and Engineered Material Solutions (EMS) of Australia, analyzing the magnesium and cementitious material that also can be derived from Latrobe's operations. The results have been very positive for the company, and industrial applications show that it could be advantageous for the cement industry.

The initial project the company expects to undertake is a 5,000-tonne-per-annum processing plant. It is expected that the plant could be operational toward the end of 2015. Based on market analysis results of the initial phase, the company will look to expand operations to a 40,000-tonne-per-annum plant.

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