Orbite Updates Construction of HPA Facility

Orbite Updates Construction of HPA Facility
  
 

MONTREAL, QUEBEC--(Marketwired - Mar 17, 2014) - Orbite Aluminae Inc. (TSX:ORT)(OTCQX:EORBF) ("Orbite" or the "Corporation"), today provides its second update on the construction and optimization activities of its high purity alumina ("HPA") production facility located in Cap-Chat, Québec.

As communicated in its January 29 HPA project update, Orbite had commenced the design review and detailed engineering with Seneca, as well as project management and control activities with Groupe Alphard. Orbite continues to work towards a 12 month execution timeline, with commissioning in December 2014 and commercial operations to commence in January 2015. Full production capacity at 3 tpd is anticipated for Q1 2015.

Glenn Kelly, CEO of Orbite, stated, "We are pleased with the progress made to date on our HPA project at Cap-Chat. Several project elements, such as the design review, have now been completed. We are on schedule and are progressing well towards our twelve month execution timeline. Additionally, following positive calcination and decomposition testing results with potential suppliers in Asia and Europe, we have been able to conclude negotiations and selected Outotec to deliver the new calcination system. The unit is expected to arrive in August, slightly ahead of our earlier communicated schedule."

Progress to date is as follows:

Cap-Chat Operations

• Operating conditions for the HPA purification steps were optimized through a series of tests at Orbite's Technology Development Center ("TDC").
• The HPA facility is completing a production campaign, where optimized operating conditions, developed at the TDC, were tested and validated. The new operating parameters will be incorporated into the detailed facility design.
• Preliminary results are very promising (quality, process conditions and productivity) and are in line with pilot testing done at the TDC.
• The product will be used to supply sample sets for evaluation by potential customers.

Engineering

• Seneca has finalized the mass and energy balances, project scope definition and the design basis.
• Seneca has also completed a survey of Orbite's installations at its Cap-Chat facility to evaluate changes needed, such as equipment modification/relocation, and infrastructure capacities (electricity, steam, cooling water, and building ventilation).
• P&IDs (Piping & Instrumentation Diagrams) review is completed and will be issued for design.

Project Management

• Alphard has completed the work break-down structure to align budget, schedule and cost tracking.
• Calcination equipment installation, sequence and schedule has been optimized and the general project schedule has been refined as follows;
  • Detailed Engineering Completed - May
  • Issue of Procurement and Construction packages for bid - June
  • Start of Construction - July
  • Calcination System Delivery - August
  • Plant commissioning including cold and hot start up - November and December
  • Commercial Operations - January

Procurement

• HPA decomposition and calcination tests were completed at two calciner system supplier piloting centers in Europe and Asia.
• Based upon technical & economic evaluation of both offers, Outotec of Germany was selected as the preferred supplier and the supply contract has been awarded.

About Outotec

Outotec provides leading technologies and services for the sustainable use of Earth's natural resources. As the global leader in minerals and metals processing technology, Outotec has developed many breakthrough technologies over the decades. The company also provides innovative solutions for industrial water treatment, the utilization of alternative energy sources and the chemical industry. Outotec shares are listed on NASDAQ OMX Helsinki. www.outotec.com

About Orbite

Orbite Aluminae Inc. is a Canadian cleantech company who's innovative and proprietary processes are expected to produce alumina and other high-value by-products, such as rare earth and rare metal oxides, at one of the lowest costs in the industry, and in a sustainable fashion, using feedstocks that include aluminous clay, kaolin, nepheline, bauxite, red mud and fly ash. Orbite is currently finalizing its first commercial high-purity alumina (HPA) production plant in Cap-Chat, Québec and has completed the basic engineering for a proposed smelter-grade alumina (SGA) production plant, which would use clay mined from its Grande-Vallée deposit. The Corporation's intellectual property portfolio contains 15 intellectual property families, and the Corporation owns the intellectual property rights to 11 patents and 57 pending patent applications in 10 different countries and regions. The first intellectual property family is patented in Canada, USA, Australia, China, and Russia. The Company also operates a state of the art technology development center in Laval, Québec, where its technologies are developed and validated.

Forward-looking statements

Certain information contained in this document may include "forward-looking information". Without limiting the foregoing, forward-looking information may include statements regarding projects, costs, objectives and future returns of the Corporation or hypotheses underlying these items. In this document, words such as "may", "would", "could", "will", "likely", "believe", "expect", "anticipate", "intend", "plan", "estimate" and similar words and the negative form thereof are used to identify forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements should not be read as guarantees of future performance or results, and will not necessarily be accurate indications of whether, or the times at or by which, such future performance will be achieved. Forward-looking statements and information are based on information available at the time and/or the Corporation management's good-faith beliefs with respect to future events and are subject to known or unknown risks, uncertainties, assumptions and other unpredictable factors, many of which are beyond the Corporation's control. These risks uncertainties and assumptions include, but are not limited to, those described in the section of the Management's Discussion and Analysis (MD&A) entitled "Risk and Uncertainties" as filed on November 14, 2013 on www.sedar.com.

The Corporation does not intend, nor does it undertake, any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking information or statements contained in this document to reflect subsequent information, events or circumstances or otherwise, except as required by applicable laws.

TMX EQUICOMMark LakmaakerExternal Investor Relations Consultant1-800-385-5451 ext. [e-mail] Media Inquiries:TMX EQUICOMShaun SmithExternal Media Relations Consultant1-800-385-5451, ext. [e-mail]