Feb 5 2011
Exploration Orbite (ORT.A) has begun operations at its pilot production facility in Cap-Chat, Quebec.
This event is both a critical turning point in Orbite's history and a major step towards the production of the company's first ton of alumina. In addition, this stage of the project was completed on budget and ahead of schedule.
The team's next priority is to complete the production of the first ton of alumina.
"I'm very impressed by everything our team has accomplished to date and I'm completely confident that our efforts will soon be rewarded with the first ton of alumina produced at the pilot production facility," stated company president Richard Boudreault.
Mr. Boudreault was delighted to hear the comments of the engineers working on the pilot production facility and the production process launch. According to professional engineer Dominique Morin, VP of engineering at SENECA Experts Conseil, the engineering consultation firm hired by Orbite to handle the pilot project: "We started up the facility and launched operations in record time, thanks in large part to the outstanding teamwork and dedication of the team put together by Orbite's management. This facility is now ready to carry out its primary mission of demonstrating of an innovative process to extract alumina from aluminous clays."
The pilot production facility will make it possible to optimize process parameters and production costs and develop the design for a proposed full-scale production facility. It will also serve to evaluate and improve economic parameters and minimize technological risks.
Operating this facility will play a key role in demonstrating the economic realm of the Grande-Vallée project and Orbite's patented process.
Source: http://www.explorationorbite.com/