Australian Bauxite Ltd. Heads of Agreement for ALCORE Project to Produce Aluminium Fluoride from Bauxite

Sydney - Bauxite producer, Australian Bauxite Ltd. (ASX:ABX) (ABx) is pleased to announce that it has finalised a Heads of Agreement (HoA) with technology provider, Refined Ore Industries Limited (ROIL) for the ALCORE project which is the development of bauxite beneficiation and refining technology to produce from bauxite Aluminium Fluoride which is used in aluminium production and in lithium ion batteries.

ABx has assisted ROIL's commercial and technological development over the past 3 years and has subsequently been offered the licence from ROIL for the refining of bauxite, on the following terms:

1. Exclusive global rights for the refining of bauxite, to produce Aluminium Fluoride (AlF3), and coproduct oxides of aluminium, silicon, iron, titanium from the bauxite;

2. Production of Corethane Gas from the refining of coal to provide electrical power, heating and cooling for the bauxite refining plant so that is has energy security; and,

3. Exclusive global marketing rights for all Aluminium Fluoride (AlF3) and related coproducts produced by other ROIL technology projects unrelated to ABx in Australasia and Asia.

ABx is to issue 1.4 million ABx shares to ROIL on completion of the Full Agreement.

Patent

ROIL is the owner of the technology intellectual property company, Berkeley Process Technologies Pty. Ltd. which owns the patent application No. 2017902627 dated 5 June 2017 for the "Ores to Elements" process (the CORE process) that involves the refining of various ore types using a combination of fluorine acids and related thermal energy process steps. ABx assisted ROIL to finalise and lodge this patent application so that the ALCORE project could proceed.

ALCORE project

The ALCORE project will apply the CORE Process to refine bauxite ore containing aluminium, iron, silica and titanium for the low energy, low emissions production of Aluminium Fluoride (AlF3) and coproducts including very pure forms of silica SiO2, iron oxide Fe2O3 and titanium oxide pigment TiO2.

2 Stages: ROIL personnel will undertake high-technology engineering projects focused on the CORE Process. ABx will work with ROIL to develop ALCORE in the following 2-stage process:

Stage 1: Engineering Evaluation Plant (EV Plant) A$12.5m to A$16m (being costed)

Stage 2: 50,000 tonnes per year production plant "ALF 1" for approximately A$50m

Timetable Design & costing of EV Plant underway now and due by end February 2018

Shareholder consultation, approvals & funding strategy - from now until end Q1 2018

Funding - during Q1 & Q2 2018

Marketing samples for offtake contracts - in September &-November 2018

Bankable feasibility study of ALF 1 production plant - by end Q1 2019

Commissioning ALF 1 Production Plant - by end 2019

Summary: Bauxite refining converts Tasmanian bauxite valued at approximately US$50 per tonne into a suite of products worth in excess of US$800 per tonne of bauxite. This represents a more than 10-times increase in value per tonne.

Advantage: ABx bauxite is a clean ore, ideally suited to this type of refining because it is free of radioactive elements and base metals. This gives ALCORE two key advantages:

(1) The ALF3 product and all coproducts can be produced at very high purity; and,

(2) No residues means no need for costly waste disposal.

Why Bell Bay in Northern Tasmania or Townsville in Northern Queensland?

1. Large resources of clean-chemistry bauxite;

2. Available key chemical reagents, all of which are by-products from fertiliser plants and nearby zinc refineries;

3. Skilled workforces experienced in high-technology refineries and/or smelter operations;

4. Nearby coal supply for production of Corethane Gas for reliable energy security; and

5. Nearby export ports with ample available capacity for efficient shipping.

Figure 3 (see link below) shows these advantages, using Bell Bay in Tasmania as a more specific example.

Alcore Generalised economics

1. AlF3 prices have risen strongly from US$800 to above US$1,600 per tonne in 5 years (extra demand from Li ion batteries)

2. Aluminium smelters use 30kgs of AlF3 per tonne of aluminium (ie. 3%)

3. Global demand exceeds 1.5 million tonnes of AlF3 per year

4. ALCORE to target Australasian aluminium smelters as main customers

5. Lithium Ion Battery market will be a significant upside for ALCORE

6. ALCORE production is ~30% cheaper in operating costs than traditional AlF3 production - and has a lower capital cost due to simpler process

7. Payback of major production plant capital cost less than 3 years

8. Upside is additional production plants to supply SE Asia, India & Middle East

Alcore Environmental Benefits

No smoke-stack, no emissions, no waste products, value adding

1. Alcore Production Process uses waste acids from zinc refineries and fertiliser plants for reagent make-up.

2. Reagents are all recycled except for fluoro-silicic acid "FSA" make-up to supply additional fluorine to make AlF3

3. No emissions, particulates or waste generated

4. AlF3 improves aluminium smelting efficiency - saves electricity

5. Lithium Ion Battery recharge rates improved by AlF3

6. Can be self-sufficient for heating & electricity (co-product Corethane gas)

To view the full release with figures, please visit:
http://abnnewswire.net/lnk/7M6Z2E92

About Australian Bauxite Ltd:

Australian Bauxite Ltd. (ABx) (ASX:ABX) has started its first bauxite mine in Tasmania and holds the core of the Eastern Australian Bauxite Province. ABx's 37 bauxite tenements in Queensland, New South Wales and Tasmania exceed 5,000 km2 and were rigorously selected for (1) good quality bauxite; (2) near infrastructure connected to export ports; and (3) free of socio-environmental constraints. All tenements are 100% owned, unencumbered & free of third-party royalties.

ABx's discovery rate is increasing as knowledge, technology and expertise grows.

The Company's bauxite is high quality gibbsite trihydrate (THA) bauxite and can be processed into alumina at low temperature.

ABx has declared large Mineral Resources at Inverell and Guyra in northern NSW, Taralga in southern NSW, Binjour in central QLD and in Tasmania confirming that ABx has discovered significant bauxite deposits including some of outstandingly high quality.

In Tasmania, at Bald Hill, the Company's first bauxite mine commenced operations on schedule on 9 December 2014 – the first new Australian bauxite mine for more than 35 years.

ABx aspires to identify large bauxite resources in the Eastern Australian Bauxite Province, which is emerging as a globally significant bauxite province. ABx has created significant bauxite developments in 3 states - Queensland, New South Wales and Tasmania. Its bauxite deposits are favourably located for direct shipping of bauxite to both local and export customers.

ABx endorses best practices on agricultural land, strives to leave land and environment better than we find it. We only operate where welcomed.



Contact:

Ian Levy CEO and MD
Australian Bauxite Ltd.
T: +61-2-9251-7177
M: +61-407-189-122
E: corporate@australianbauxite.com.au