Apr 27, 2023   SOURCE: BusinessWire

IperionX Plans to Build the World’s Largest 100% Recycled Titanium Metal Powder Facility By 2025

IperionX Limited (“IperionX”) (Nasdaq | ASX: IPX), is pleased to announce that it has completed detailed engineering design for the planned 125 metric tonnes per annum (“tpa”) Titanium Demonstration Facility (“TDF”), previously announced in September 2022, and a Techno-Economic Assessment for an expansion into the Company’s first Titanium Commercial Facility (“TCF-1”) of 1,125 tpa located at the Southern Virginia Technology Park in Halifax County, Virginia.

The TDF and TCF-1 will utilize the breakthrough Hydrogen Assisted Metallothermic Reduction (“HAMR”) technologies to produce titanium metal powder. Development of the TCF-1 to 1,125 tpa production capacity would furnish IperionX with the largest recycled titanium metal powder production capacity globally, the only titanium production facility using 100% titanium metal scrap as a feedstock. This will also be the only such facility with zero Scope 1 & 2 emissions with the lowest carbon intensity for any commercial titanium metal powder product.

The full press release, including detailed cost estimates can be found here.

Commenting on the completion of the scale up plans and testing, Anastasios Arima, Co-founder & CEO said:

“We have now developed plans for the world’s first and largest recycled titanium powder facility, with initial production from the first stage 125 tpa TDF forecast to come online in early 2024 with a simple and modular expansion to a 1,125 tpa TCF-1 by the end of 2025.

The pathway for the development of the TDF and TCF-1 build upon the learnings from our current Industrial Pilot Facility operations in Utah where we have been producing circular titanium metal since early 2022. The development of the TDF & TCF-1 will scale our production to commercial quantities of 100% recycled titanium metal while also reducing the cost providing the potential for titanium to compete on price with other metals, including stainless steel and aluminum.

The U.S. is a tier 1 fiscal and manufacturing operating environment with a large pipeline of government incentives potentially available to IperionX. We look forward to rapidly advancing our developments through 2023 and moving towards scaled up production to secure a U.S. supply chain of this critical metal.”

Titanium Metal Powder Production Scale-Up

The TDF is expected to begin commissioning in Q4 2023 and be operational by Q1 2024, targeting a run-rate of 125 tpa by Q3 2024. Development of the TDF remains subject to successful Board approval for a final investment decision, expected in Q3 2023.

The TDF is projected to initially produce ~15 tpa of spherical titanium metal powder and ~110 tpa of angular titanium metal powder. IperionX then plans to install additional equipment at the facility to allow for the operational flexibility to produce 125 tpa of either 100% angular titanium metal powder or 100% spherical titanium metal powder for an incremental capital cost of US$6.9 million. Cash costs for 125 tpa of spherical titanium powder production at the TDF are projected to be ~US$72/kg before contingencies.

The larger capacity TCF-1 could be operational by Q4 2025 if long lead time items are ordered in Q3 2024. The TCF-1 is designed to produce 1,125 tpa of angular or spherical titanium metal powder. Capital costs for this expansion would be ~US$70 million, with ~US$48 million needed for long lead time orders and the remaining US$22 million needed during commissioning in 2025.

Assuming a conservative spherical titanium metal powder price of ~US$130/kg (vs. current estimated market pricing of ~US$200/kg), and using key operating assumptions, the TCF-1 has the potential to generate revenue of ~US$145 million and EBITDA of ~US$100 million in 2026.

About IperionX

IperionX’s mission is to be the leading developer of low carbon titanium for advanced industries including space, aerospace, electric vehicles and 3D printing. IperionX holds an exclusive option to acquire breakthrough titanium technologies that can produce titanium products that are low carbon and fully circular. IperionX is producing titanium metal powders from titanium scrap at its operational pilot facility in Utah, and intends to scale production at a Titanium Demonstration Facility in Virginia. IperionX holds a 100% interest in the critical minerals Titan Project, which has the largest JORC resource of titanium, rare earth and zircon rich mineral sands in the U.S.A.

Forward Looking Statements

Information included in this release constitutes forward-looking statements. Often, but not always, forward looking statements can generally be identified by the use of forward-looking words such as “may”, “will”, “expect”, “intend”, “plan”, “estimate”, “anticipate”, “continue”, and “guidance”, or other similar words and may include, without limitation, statements regarding plans, strategies and objectives of management, anticipated production or construction commencement dates and expected costs or production outputs.

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