Archer Materials will begin US pilot plant tests next month on bulk halloysite-kaolin sample

Archer Materials Ltd (ASX:AXE) has taken another step towards commercialising the Franklyn Halloysite-Kaolin Project in South Australia with a bulk sample arriving in the US for tests by a leading kaolin minerals industry laboratory. This sample collected from drilling at the Franklin project has been received and prepared with pilot plant processing trials due to start in mid-June and results expected by June 30. Resulting halloysite and kaolin samples will then be sent to potential downstream customers for product testing and verification purposes. Pilot plant testing Delivery of the bulk sample to the processing facility was delayed by nearly a month due to COVID-19 restrictions. Pilot plant test work will be undertaken by KaMin LLC at its pilot plant. In addition to operating this plant, KaMin owns and operates kaolin mining and processing facilities. Archer’s USA-based consultant will work with the pilot plant staff to operate the pilot plant continuously. High-grade product expected This plant simulates standard industry halloysite-kaolin recovery processes and this initial program is expected to produce a high-grade halloysite-kaolin product. The pilot plant campaign and additional metallurgical test-work programs previously undertaken by AXE will also provide the process design parameters for future drill programs and commercial-scale processing plant design. Previous test success Previous tests by a well-respected UK-based kaolin industry laboratory identified the presence of halloysite with long tubes, a high aspect ratio and other properties which should make it desirable to customers. The long and cylindrical/tubular shape of the tubes may lead to the halloysite performing well in the materials’ high-value applications dependent on surface area, like catalysis, due to the likelihood of a high aspect ratio, which is the ratio of the tube length to its diameter. Archer said the large lumen observed could allow for applications requiring a high loading of gases, liquids or nanoparticles. The combination of these properties is also an advantage as high aspect ratio additives are known to improve the mechanical reinforcement of advanced composites. Franklyn is 100%-owned by Archer and is about 220 kilometres north of Adelaide. Archer’s consideration of more drilling to prove up a resource would require acceptance by potential customers for further commercial testing. Potential high-value feedstock Kaolin and halloysite are alumina-silicate based clays, that commonly occur intermixed. These materials have emerged as a potential feedstock in processing high-value and hard-to-substitute high-purity alumina (HPA) that could be used in deep-tech applications such as light-emitting diodes and lithium-ion batteries. Halloysite has a nanostructure that may allow its use as an efficient catalyst in the petrochemicals industry, in molecular sieves, composites, non-halogenated flame-retardant synergists and cosmetics. These large and growing markets offer commercial development potential upon successful findings for Archer’s halloysite-kaolin exploration programs.