reread announcement 19/12

Austpac proved the various technologies at the Demonstration Plant earlier this year, and the Company has now advanced the plans for upgrading the EARS section of the Plant so it can operate on a continuous commercial basis. The major step of designing the essential equipment items that will be refurbished is complete and costing is underway. These structural and physical upgrades, scheduled to begin in the New Year, will ensure the commercial longevity of the EARS plant. Austpac has been approached by a number of groups and discussions are well advanced to secure a supply of both spent pickle liquor (SPL) as well as mill scale (iron oxide waste). Austpac will regenerate fresh acid and direct reduced iron from the SPL, and by adding mill scale and other steel mill wastes to the process will significantly increase the yield of saleable iron. By recycling steel mill wastes, Austpac’s EARS plant will assist in solving a significant disposal problem for the steel industry, as well as provide a positive cash flow for the Company in 2009. Austpac’s fully owned and operated EARS plant will have direct applications in the steel industry as a highly cost-effective and environmentally friendly commercial method to recycle steel mill wastes. The EARS plant at Newcastle has the capacity to process 13,000 tonnes per year of SPL. As announced earlier this week, MultiServ have requested a six month extension to the agreement to identify and evaluate worldwide opportunities for the application of Austpac’s processes in the steel industry, which was due to expire at the end of 2008. Austpac’s aim is to have the plant in full commercial operation during the first half of 2009, which will give Austpac the opportunity to further demonstrate the capabilities of its EARS process to MultiServ and other interested groups.
As well as focussing on the stand-alone commercial EARS plant, Austpac continues to plan for the 60,000 tpa commercial ERMS SR plant. The production of ultra high grade synrutile by Austpac during October 2008 generated strong industry interest and samples are being tested by six international companies.......... plus more