After two years of urgent technology changes, Montreal’s Orbite Aluminae Inc. is “back on track” and preparing to start commercial production of ultra-high-purity (HPA) alumina in the third quarter this year.

“We’re shipping HPA samples to five or more prospective customers and with purity levels in line with 5N 99.999 per cent required by medical device makers, electronics and other industrial users and lithium-ion battery makers,” CEO Glenn Kelly told analysts Wednesday.

The samples were produced at Orbite’s Cap Chat commercial-scale plant in the Gaspé region using the new German calcination (high temperature) process system installed late last year.

Further process changes are being made so that Orbite’s HPA can meet cost and sustainability targets, Kelly said. The Cap Chat plant has capacity of 3-tonnes daily and will target 5-tonnes daily once final clean-tech technology changes are in place next year.

Orbite’s revised technology will enable it to process “red mud” and other wastes generated by the traditional Bayer alumina plants and to plan future production of smelter-grade alumina — the intermediate material for producing aluminum metal.

Orbite is adequately financed through this year with more federal-provincial and private sector backing, Kelly said. The cost of research, development and the technology changes over two years will be more than $100 million.

Kelly, an experienced international project manager, joined Orbite in 2013 as COO and moved up to CEO after co-founder Richard Boudreault left the company.