Alpha HPA has completed the first run of synthetic sapphire growth at its Gladstone plant in what is believed to be an Australian-first.

Company subsidiary Alpha Sapphire accomplished the successful growth run of 300kg of C-axis sapphire crystal boules, with potential end uses in the consumer electronics, medical, defence and LED markets.

Alpha managing director Rimas Kairaitis said the next production run would commence immediately.

“This is a very exciting milestone for the company, and also represents what we believe is the first production of synthetic sapphire in Australia,” he said.

“The Alpha HPA process and the Ebner-Fametec growth technology each represent innovative and disruptive technologies and are perfectly matched in the production of low-carbon synthetic sapphire.”

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Synthetic sapphire glass is the pure crystalline form of high purity alumina, grown under controlled conditions as a single monolithic crystal.

Alpha has a letter of intent with Ebner-Fametec to purchase and roll out sapphire growth units in the following phases:

• Phase A: Purchase and installation of an initial two synthetic sapphire growth units: Complete
• Phase B: Purchase and installation of a further 48 synthetic sapphire growth units: Total 50
• Phase C: Purchase and installation of a further 50 synthetic sapphire growth units: Total 100

Alpha Sapphire has secured up to $30 million project funding from Queensland Critical Minerals and Battery Technology Fund as well as matching equity funding from a strategic placement in November 2023.

The initial sapphire boules will be sent to the Ebner/Fametec facility in Austria for further quality assurance work.

Alpha Sapphire will also send two boules for sapphire processing into ingots for further testing ahead of the start of customer qualification.

“Alpha has undertaken a detailed assessment of the business opportunity presented by synthetic sapphire growth,’’ Mr Kairaitis said.

“This includes direct engagement with end users in both the LED and sapphire optics markets, encompassing detailed price discovery with respect to expected pricing and processing costs.”

Based on a range of scenario splits between sales to the optics and LED end markets, Alpha has modelled EBITDA returns of $US516,000 to $US693,000 per annum for each sapphire growth unit.

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