Alpha was awarded a $15.5 million CMDP grant in 2022 to expand and accelerate aluminium nitrate and aluminium sulphate production capacity at the Gladstone facility, with the first tranche of $6.82 million paid out in November.

The Gladstone PPF has been commissioned and is ramping up production of 5N purity aluminium nitrate precursors, with 100 tonnes produced to date.

The money will be used to facilitate 10 tonnes per annum of extra capacity for HPA production and 10tpa of extra capacity for high-purity boehmite production.

Alpha will also add tableting capacity to produce HPA tablets for sapphire glass growth and install a large rooftop solar array with battery storage capacity.

Alpha is looking for project financiers to fund construction of a full-scale stage two project.

Alpha managing director Rimas Kairaitis said the company continued to build on the positive momentum in the business and advance key work streams for the HPA first project.

"We look forward to a key few months ahead," he said.