Delays or Breakthroughs? ALCORE Pilot Plant Faces Regulatory Hurdles Ahead

Infrastructure Preparation Underway

ABx Group Limited’s 83%-owned subsidiary, ALCORE Limited, is making significant strides in preparing its pilot plant at the ALCORE Technology Centre, located adjacent to Rio Tinto’s Bell Bay aluminium smelter in northern Tasmania. The site has seen the removal of legacy equipment, clearing the way for new infrastructure tailored to a pioneering industrial chemical production process.

Key infrastructure upgrades are in progress, including electrical supply expansions, low-voltage power distribution, and the construction of equipment foundations designed to meet stringent Australian regulatory standards. These foundational works are critical to support the complex pilot plant operations that will demonstrate a proprietary method to convert aluminium smelting by-products into valuable chemicals such as hydrogen fluoride.

Progress on Equipment and Auxiliary Systems

Two of the three major process equipment packages have completed detailed mechanical designs and fabrication drawings, with the final package expected shortly. These packages include essential components like the oleum plant, bath reactors, scrubbers, and cooling towers, all ordered earlier this year.

Complementing these are auxiliary systems; such as wastewater treatment, demineralised water supply, and air compression units; that have already been manufactured by external suppliers. These will be installed once the site’s foundations and utilities are fully prepared, marking a key transition from design to physical assembly.

Regulatory Compliance and Next Steps

ALCORE is actively progressing council permit applications and preparing an Environmental Effects Report, underscoring its commitment to regulatory compliance and environmental stewardship. Australian-registered professionals will review all major equipment packages to ensure adherence to safety regulations and site-specific criteria before installation.

Delivery of all major equipment packages is anticipated in the first quarter of 2026, followed by a construction phase expected to last two to three months. ABx’s Managing Director and CEO, Dr Mark Cooksey, expressed confidence in the team’s ability to meet these milestones, highlighting the high engineering standards applied to this world-first technology.

As the project advances toward commissioning, ABx aims to provide ongoing updates, maintaining transparency with investors and stakeholders about this innovative clean chemical production initiative.