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Latest GoldInvest article: https://goldinvest.de/greenmining/105-fyi-resources-ltd/5295-fyi-resources-erwartet-starke-und-solide-partnerschaft-mit-alcoa

The market for separators in lithium-ion batteries, which are used to isolate the electrodes from one another, was worth around 6.2 billion USD in 2020.However, experts assume that it will grow to around USD 11.3 billion by 2026.This should also increase the demand for so-called HPA (High Purity Alumina), which is used, among other things, to coat the separators - and thus improve the overall performance, charging capacity, safety and durability of the battery.

However, the use of HPA in lithium-ion batteries may not be limited to the separators.The material could possibly also provide an increase in performance in the anode and even the cathode.At least that's what Roland Hill, managing director of the HPA companyFYI Resources (WKN A0RDPF / ASX FYI), and his counterpart atEcoGraf (WKN A2PW0M / ASX EGR),also based in Australia,believe, who recently announced a cooperation that is investigating exactly that should (we reported).

Up-to-the-minute, Mr. Hill spoke to his Australian colleagues at unauthorised investment advice and said that the deal could enable both companies to add value to their downstream businesses.For customers, the obvious potential benefit would be that the batteries would be safer, more powerful, more durable and possibly also more cost-effective.That is also the reason why one has already received expressions of interest from some larger battery manufacturers.

Rapid growth possible

Regarding the potential growth in demand for HPA, Hill cites analysts at Benchmark Mineral Intelligence, who believe that growth in the anodes segment, i.e. graphite and HPA, could exceed 700% from current levels by 2025.The HPA market is currently showing growth rates of 17% to 18% year-on-year - from the battery sector and the more traditional markets for LED, sapphire glass, etc. Potential new applications as mentioned above are not yet included, the FYI boss told * .

According to Mr. Hill, these and other additional value creation initiatives were also the reason why the signing of a joint venture agreement with the industrygiant Alcoa(Alcoa of Australia) had to be postponed for a month.Alcoa was informed of the deal with EcoGraf and then everything had to be postponed because the large corporation wanted to be included, Hill told *.Originally, this initiative should not be part of the joint venture, he explained.

Regarding the joint venture that FYI shareholders are longingly waiting for, Hill said that the partners had not come this far to fail now.No guarantee could be given, but the agreement was about to be concluded, as all the important terms were largely agreed.Alcoa sees the (HPA) business and the sector very bullish.The aluminum giant has done its homework on FYI Resources and their HPA production processes and is ready to bet.In any case, Hill concluded that he was assuming a strong and solid partnership.