Mission Statement

Austpac's mission is to use its ERMS and EARS technologies to become a significant producer of high grade synthetic rutile feedstock for TiO2 pigment manufacturers.
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Company Overview

Austpac Resources N.L. has developed new mineral processing technologies which add substantial value to ilmenite by upgrading this low value titanium mineral into a high value product, synthetic rutile, which is a prime feedstock used in the chloride process to manufacture of titanium dioxide pigment.

Titanium Dioxide Pigment
Titanium dioxide (TiO2) pigment is the brilliant white pigment used in the paints and plastics industries and to a lesser extent in the paper industry and other uses. TiO2 pigments are superior to all other alternatives and are sought after by paint and plastics manufacturers throughout the world. The global TiO2 pigment market, which has grown over the last 20 years by 3% per year, has a value of around US$8 billion per annum. Over 60% of the world's TiO2 pigment is made by the chloride process. This process requires a feedstock with a high TiO2 content (generally >85% TiO2). Most natural sources of high TiO2 minerals, such as rutile, are exhausted, so chlorinatable feedstock is manufactured from ilmenite, a common mineral generally containing around 50% TiO2. Upgrading can be achieved either by electro smelting, which produces titania slag, or by chemical processing to produce the >90% TiO2 material called synthetic rutile.

Austpac's Competitive Advantage
Austpac has been processing ilmenite for over fifteen years and has developed a number of proprietary technologies, including the ERMS and EARS processes. The ERMS SR Process, which combines aspects of ERMS and EARS, cost competitively produces the world's highest quality synthetic rutile (>96% TiO2). Austpac's technologies are environmentally friendly and the end products are free of the radioactivity issues associated with some alternative technologies. The successful treatment of ilmenite samples from over 70 deposits indicates that the ERMS SR Process is the only one able to process ilmenite found in any deposit around the world. Austpac has also developed the LTR Process for low temperature roasting of both fresh and weathered ilmenites. The LTR Process yields a product suitable for both the chloride and sulfate route processes of pigment production. Ilmenite recovery is high, generally greater than 90%. Austpac has applied for a patent for a new reactor designed for the continuous leaching of ilmenite. This is the CLR Process, which produces high grade synthetic rutile more efficiently than the batch processes currently used in the feedstock industry. Austpac's technologies are potentially the most significant and efficient technologies available to the world market. Austpac's competitive advantage is its ability to produce a superior product at a lower cost. The technologies are protected by patents around the world.
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Who's who at Austpac Resources

Members of the Board

Secretaries

  • Mr. Nicholas J. Gaston ACIS - Company Secretary
Principal Office

Level 3, 62 Pitt Street, Sydney NSW 2000
GPO Box 5297, Sydney NSW 2001
Phone: (02) 9252 2599
Fax: (02) 9252 8299
Email: apgtio2@ozemail.com.au
ASX Registry

Perpetual Registrars Limited, Securities Registration Services
580 George Street, Sydney NSW 2000
Bankers

ANZ Bank, 68 Pitt Street, Sydney NSW 2000
Stock Exchange Listing

Australian Stock Exchange Limited (Melbourne) - ASX code: APG
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Austpac's Directors

Terry Cuthbertson ACA
Chairman

Age 54

Mr Cuthbertson is currently a non-executive Director of Open Telecommunication Limited. He was previously Group Finance Director for Tech Pacific Holdings Pty Ltd which generated over $2 billion in revenues from operations throughout the Asia-Pacific Region. From 1986 to 1995 he was a Senior Partner of KPMG, specialising in strategic and corporate advice to major corporations. Mr Cuthbertson brings extensive international corporate experience to Austpac including a practical operating knowledge of business practices and structures in India. Mr Cuthbertson has been a Director of Austpac Resources since March 2001.

 

Michael Turbott BSc (Hons), FAIMM, MAIG
Managing Director

Age 60

Mr Turbott was formerly a Director and Vice President of Kennecott Explorations (Australia) Ltd., and was in charge of the exploration programs that led to the discovery of the Lihir gold deposit in Papua New Guinea, and to the acquisition and initial development of the Gordonstone coal mine in the Bowen Basin, Queensland. His 35 years' experience in the mining industry has encompassed a wide variety of exploration and development projects in Australia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Indonesia, Philippines, Canada and the USA. Mr Turbott has been the Managing Director of Austpac Resources N.L. since its formation as an epithermal gold explorer in 1985. In 1988 Austpac became involved in the Westport ilmenite sand deposits in New Zealand. This led to the development of Austpac's ERMS roasting process to separate refractory ilmenites, and subsequently to the EARS acid regeneration process and more recently to a continuous leaching process. Since the mid 1990's Austpac has solely focussed on its mineral sand technologies and has now reached a point where the Company is confident of implementing the ERMS SR process for the production of ultra high grade synthetic rutile in a commercial plant.

Robert J. Harrison FAICD
Non-Executive Director

Age 65

Mr Harrison has over 20 years’ experience in the marketing of titanium minerals and zircon. He was Managing Director of Consolidated Rutile Limited’s marketing subsidiary Minerals Pty Limited for a number of years before forming the mineral sands marketing consultancy Mineralex Agencies Pty Limited, of which he is Managing Director. Since 1986 Mr Harrison has provided marketing support, market surveys, statistical analyses and product reviews for titanium dioxide feedstocks, titanium dioxide pigments and zircon to a range of significant producers and consumers of those products in Australia, India, Africa, Europe and the United States.
Mr Harrison was appointed a Director of Austpac Resources N.L. on 1 September 2004.
   
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