06/10/2026
For the past three years, Alpha HPA has relied on specialist laboratories interstate to verify the absence of trace impurities in our products, testing that is required by customers in semiconductor and other advanced technology applications. That capability is now available in Gladstone, significantly reducing testing turnaround times while lowering the cost of external analysis.
Alpha HPA has commissioned a new PerkinElmer NexION 5000 ICP-MS (Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometer), one of the world's most advanced analytical instruments.
Previously, specialist testing for uranium and thorium was undertaken externally, with samples sent to Perth and results often taking up to six weeks to be returned. Bringing this capability in-house will significantly reduce turnaround times, giving our team faster access to the analytical data needed to support product quality, operations and customer requirements.
The ICP-MS can detect impurities at ultra-trace levels and is currently being used to analyse Alpha HPA products for uranium and thorium, helping verify the purity of our materials for demanding applications, including semiconductors.
Laboratory Superintendent Ronald Janssen said the commissioning of the ICP-MS represents more than the addition of a new piece of equipment.
"Advanced analytical capability is often concentrated in major capital cities. Having this technology available in Gladstone allows us to build specialist expertise in regional Queensland while supporting the quality and performance requirements of global customers."
As the HPA First Facility continues to ramp up, the new capability will provide significantly faster access to analytical data, supporting product quality, market requirements and future operational growth.