Talk:Calix Limited

Updates to Calix page

I would like to suggest replacing the current information on the Calix Limited page to the below. The current information is outdated and includes misleading information about the company. This proposed updates are purely factual with detailed citations, and does not hold any biased views. An attempt to update the page to this information was made 25 February and can easily be reinstated if the below updates are deemed to be acceptable. Thankyou for your consideration of this request.

Calix Limited

Calix Limited (ASX:CXL) is an Australian environmental technology company that develops and commercialises mineral processing and carbon capture processes for industrial decarbonisation and sustainability. Founded in 2005 and headquartered in the Sydney suburb of Pymble, the company operates across Australia, Europe, the United States and Southeast Asia. Calix's patented flash calcination platform is being applied to sectors including cement and lime, iron and steel, alumina, lithium and magnesia‑based environmental products.

History

Calix was founded in 2005 with the objective of developing an indirectly heated mineral processing technology, known as the Calix Flash Calciner, to address environmental challenges. The company built its first pilot calciner in 2007, followed by the "CFC 850" calciner plant at Bacchus Marsh, Victoria, in 2011. In 2012 Calix acquired a magnesite mine at Myrtle Springs in South Australia and began processing magnesite into magnesium oxide products with properties derived from the flash calcination process.

Between 2013 and 2017 Calix received awards and funding for a range of sustainable applications of its technology, including advanced battery research and agricultural uses. In 2016 the company formed a consortium with industry and academic partners to develop the Low Emissions Intensity Lime and Cement (Leilac) process. Calix listed on the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX) in 2018.

Supported by a grant from the European Union's Horizon 2020 programme, Calix led the construction of the Leilac‑1 pilot plant at a Heidelberg Materials cement plant in Lixhe, Belgium, to demonstrate a direct‑separation approach to capturing carbon dioxide process emissions from limestone calcination. The Leilac‑1 pilot was commissioned in 2019 with a nameplate capacity to capture up to 25,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide per year and demonstrated the suitability of the technology for cement and lime decarbonisation. Also in 2019, Calix acquired U.S. magnesium hydroxide liquid producer Inland Empire Resources (IER).

In 2020 the Leilac‑2 project was awarded funding under the EU Horizon 2020 programme to demonstrate the Leilac technology at larger scale, and Calix built an electric calciner known as "BatMn" at the Calix Technology Centre to produce low‑carbon‑intensity manganese‑based battery cathode materials. In 2021 global decarbonisation investor Carbon Direct Capital Management invested €15 million for a 6.98% equity stake in Leilac, which became a subsidiary business of Calix, and in 2022 Leilac signed its first global licence agreement with Heidelberg Materials. Between 2021 and 2022 Calix filed a patent application for its Zero Emissions Steel TechnologY (ZESTY), a hydrogen‑based direct reduced iron concept, and received an Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) grant to support engineering studies and pilot‑scale trials.

In 2022 Calix and Pilbara Minerals (later PLS) formed a joint venture to develop a "mid‑stream" refining process for sustainable lithium. In 2023 Leilac signed a global licence agreement with direct air capture company Heirloom and Calix expanded manufacturing capacity for magnesium hydroxide liquid products at IER through new hydration facilities. In 2024 construction commenced on the mid‑stream lithium project with PLS and Calix built a new calciner, "Thor's Hammer", at the Calix Technology Centre at Bacchus Marsh, while Project ZETA was established in South Australia to demonstrate an electric near‑zero‑emissions lime plant; in the same year ZESTY received the NetZero Industries Award for Outstanding Project at COP29 in Baku, Azerbaijan.

In 2025 Calix was awarded an AU$44.9 million ARENA grant, subject to matched funding, for construction of a ZESTY demonstration plant. The company also announced a partnership with Norsk Hydro to jointly develop Zero Emissions Alumina (ZEAL) electric calcination technology aimed at producing near‑zero‑emissions smelter‑grade alumina. Later in the year a Joint Development Agreement was signed with Rio Tinto for the Zesty Demonstration Plant, and Calix and PLS announced the construction completion of the mid-stream Demonstration Plant in Dec 2025; just before announcing a revised structure of the Joint Venture in February 2026.

Technology

Calix's core platform is a patented, indirectly heated flash calcination process in which finely ground minerals descend through externally heated alloy tubes and are rapidly heated by radiant heat from the tube walls. The indirect heating configuration allows the use of electricity from renewable sources as well as alternative or conventional fuels and keeps the calcination gases separate from the heat source. In processes such as cement and lime production, carbon dioxide released from the raw material can be kept in a relatively pure stream that can be efficiently captured for use or storage.

As of February 2026 Calix reports holding 29 patent families covering its core flash calcination technology and its applications across different industries. The Calix Technology Centre at Bacchus Marsh includes three flash calciners, including the BatMn electric calciner and Thor's Hammer, and laboratories for material testing and project development. The facility provides services such as calcination trials and material characterisation for internal projects and external customers.

Applications and projects

Calix's technology is under development or in use across several industrial sectors. The company's projects are structured around key applications, with partnerships and funding support acknowledged below.

Cement and lime (subsidiary)

Leilac is a Calix spin‑off company established to commercialise the Leilac process for carbon dioxide capture in the cement and lime industries. Calix retains a majority stake of approximately 93%, with Carbon Direct Capital Management holding close to the remaining shares after its 2021 investment of €15 million for a 6.98% equity stake. Leilac develops and licenses its technology through projects such as Leilac‑1 and Leilac‑2 in Europe and its partnership with Heirloom for direct air capture in the United States. (https://www.leilac.com)

Calix's Leilac (Low Emissions Intensity Lime and Cement) process is designed to capture process carbon dioxide emissions from cement and lime production using indirect heating to separate the heat source from limestone calcination. In this configuration, fuel combustion gases are kept separate from the calcination gases, producing a high‑purity stream of process carbon dioxide that can be captured without additional chemicals or complex separation stages. The Leilac technology is being developed to be compatible with alternative fuels, electrification and hybrid electric options, enabling dynamic fuel switching.

• Leilac‑1 – Located at a Heidelberg Materials cement plant in Lixhe, Belgium. Constructed with support from the EU Horizon 2020 programme and commissioned in 2019, with a capacity to capture up to 25,000 tonnes of CO₂ per year. (https://www.leilac.com)
• Leilac‑2 – Retrofit project at a Heidelberg Materials plant in Ennigerloh, Germany, awarded funding under the EU Horizon 2020 programme. Anticipated completion in 2027.
• Project ZETA (Zero Emissions Intensity Lime and Cement Technology Built in Australia) – A South Australian project to build an electric, renewably powered lime calciner. Aims to demonstrate near‑zero‑emissions lime production with captured process CO₂ intended for the South Australia Solar Fuels Project. Targeted completion in 2028.
• Leilac Direct Air Capture Partnership – Leilac has applied its CO₂ capture technology to direct air capture through a global licensing agreement with Heirloom (signed 2023), removing atmospheric CO₂ for green methanol and other applications.
• Frontier testing – Frontier is an advance market commitment to buy an initial US$1 billion of permanent carbon removal by 2030, and was founded by Stripe, Alphabet, Shopify, Meta, and McKinsey Sustainability, for which Leilac is developing solutions for atmospheric carbon dioxide removal by ocean alkalinity enhancement (OAE). Testing work has begun in 2026.

Iron and steel

ZESTY (Zero Emissions Steel TechnologY) applies Calix's indirectly heated calciner to hydrogen direct reduced iron (H2‑DRI) for the production of "green" iron and, ultimately, green steel. The technology uses electric heating to replace fossil fuel combustion and allows the reduction of iron ore using hydrogen as the reductant, with unused hydrogen potentially recycled. ZESTY is being developed to operate flexibly with low‑cost renewable electricity and hydrogen, to process fines and lower‑grade ores without pelletising, and to minimise hydrogen consumption.

• ZESTY Pilot Project – Pilot‑scale trials conducted at the BatMn calciner at the Calix Technology Centre, demonstrating hydrogen direct reduction of iron ore. The pilot project was recognised with the NetZero Industries Award for Outstanding Project at COP29 in Baku, Azerbaijan in 2024.
• ZESTY Demonstration Plant – Calix is developing a 30,000‑tonne‑per‑annum green iron demonstration plant, supported by an AU$44.9 million ARENA grant awarded in 2025 (subject to matched funding) and an agreement with Rio Tinto.

Alumina

ZEAL (Zero Emissions Alumina) adapts Calix's indirect electric calcination to the production of smelter‑grade alumina. The technology is designed to replace fossil fuel combustion in alumina calciners with electric heating, with the aim of reducing emissions and improving process efficiency and product quality.

• ZEAL Development Partnership – Calix and Norsk Hydro announced a 2025 partnership to jointly develop ZEAL as a near‑zero‑emissions solution for smelter‑grade alumina calcination, with potential grid‑balancing applications using renewable energy.

Lithium

Calix worked with PLS (formerly Pilbara Minerals) on a mid‑stream lithium project applying electric calcination to produce a higher‑value lithium salt product. The joint venture aimed to deliver a product with higher lithium concentration and fewer impurities than conventional spodumene concentrate, simplify supply chains and reduce capital and operating costs.

• Mid‑Stream Project with PLS – Located at PLS's Pilgangoora site in Western Australia, the project applies Calix's flash calcination technology to refine spodumene concentrate into high‑grade lithium salt. The joint venture reduces carbon and energy intensity of lithium processing and lowers transport and waste handling requirements, and construction was completed in 2025.

Water treatment and agriculture (Magnesia)

Magnesia is a separate line of business within Calix that supplies magnesium‑based products for environmental and agricultural applications. Calix produces magnesium hydroxide liquid and related formulations for wastewater treatment, aquaculture, crop protection and marine coatings. Products include BOOSTER‑Mag for crop protection, ACTI‑Mag and ALKA‑Mag for wastewater treatment, AQUA‑Cal for aquaculture, and magnesia‑based marine coatings for fouling and corrosion control.

The products are promoted as safe, non‑toxic, non‑hazardous and non‑corrosive alternatives to caustic soda, providing alkalinity and pH control and enabling reductions in chemical usage. Calix manufactures magnesia products at plants in the United States (Ripon, Muscatine, Sioux City, Pasco, Centralia and Lufkin) and Australia (Bacchus Marsh, Caloundra and Nerang) and sources magnesite from the Myrtle Springs mine in South Australia.

In 2019 Calix acquired U.S. magnesium hydroxide liquid producer Inland Empire Resources (IER) to expand manufacturing capacity. In 2023 new hydration facilities were constructed to increase IER production volumes and more facilities continue to be developed. (https://ierwater.com)

Corporate governance

Calix Limited is an Australian public company listed on the Australian Securities Exchange. The company is governed by a board of directors and an executive management team and publishes information on governance, risk management and remuneration through its investor centre and annual reports on its website. Calix reports employing approximately 100 full‑time and contract staff across its operations.

References

1. "ASX Listing". Calix. Retrieved 23 February 2026.
2. "Calix Limited Technology Platform". Calix. Retrieved 23 February 2026.
3. "Company History". Calix. Retrieved 23 February 2026.
4. "Bacchus Marsh Facility". Calix. Retrieved 23 February 2026.
5. "Awards and Funding History". Calix. Retrieved 23 February 2026.
6. "Leilac Consortium Formation". Leilac. Retrieved 23 February 2026.
7. "CXL share price and company information for ASX:CXL". Australian Securities Exchange. Retrieved 23 February 2026.
8. Calix. "Grant from the European Union's Horizon 2020 programme".
9. "Leilac-1 Project". Leilac. Retrieved 23 February 2026.
10. "Cement & Lime Decarbonisation Solution". Leilac. Retrieved 23 February 2026.
11. "Calix acquires IER". Calix. Retrieved 23 February 2026.
12. "JV with Heidelberg Materials".
13. "Calix builds electric calciner known as "BatMn"". Calix. Retrieved 23 February 2026.
14. "Carbon Direct Capital Management is into Calix's Leilac".
15. "Leilac signs its first global licence agreement with Heidelberg Materials". Leilac. Retrieved 23 February 2026.
16. "Calix files a patent application for its Zero Emissions Steel TechnologY (ZESTY)".
17. "ARENA grant to support ZESTY studies and trials". Calix. Retrieved 23 February 2026.
18. "Calix and Pilbara Minerals form a joint venture". Calix. Retrieved 23 February 2026.
19. "Leilac signs a global licence agreement with Heirloom" (PDF).
20. "Your Wastewater Treatment Partner | IER Wastewater Treatment Solutions". IER | Providing Alternatives for Caustic Soda Wastewater Treatment. Retrieved 23 February 2026.
21. "Electric near‑zero‑emissions lime plant" (PDF).
22. "Industrial Decarbonisation, CO₂ Capture & Environmental Solutions". Calix. Retrieved 23 February 2026.
23. "Calix is awarded AU$44.9 million ARENA grant" (PDF). Calix. Retrieved 23 February 2026.
24. "Partnership with Norsk Hydro to jointly develop Zero Emissions Alumina (ZEAL)" (PDF). Calix. Retrieved 23 February 2026.
25. "Rio JV" (PDF).
26. "PLS construction complete" (PDF).
27. "Revised PLS structure" (PDF).
28. "Technology". Calix. Retrieved 23 February 2026.
29. "Leilac's Technology - Our Carbon Abatement Solution". Leilac. Retrieved 23 February 2026.
30. "Technology Centre". Calix. Retrieved 23 February 2026.
31. "Technology Centre". Calix. Retrieved 23 February 2026.
32. "Leilac Spin-off and Structure".
33. "Carbon Direct Capital Investment Details into Leilac".
34. "Leilac Project Portfolio and Licensing".
35. "Leilac: Process Description".
36. "Leilac: Direct Separation Technology".
37. "Leilac Fuel Flexibility".
38. "Leilac-1 Technical Specifications".
39. "Leilac-2 Project Details".
40. "Project ZETA".
41. "Heirloom Direct Air Capture Partnership".
42. "Frontier selects Leilac to develop zero carbon lime solution".
43. "ZESTY Technology".
44. "ZESTY Process Flexibility".
45. "ZESTY Process Flexibility".
46. "ZESTY Pilot and COP29 Award".
47. "ZESTY Demonstration Plant ARENA Grant".
48. [chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://calix.global/wp-content/uploads/2025/11/2025-11-17-ZESTY-Rio-JDA-Calix-ASX-Release.pdf "Rio Tinto JV for Zesty Demo Plant"] (PDF).
49. "ZEAL Technology".
50. [chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://calix.global/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/2025-09-03-Calix-ASX-Announcement-ZEAL-materials-testing-FINAL.pdf "Calix and Norske Hydro sign agreement"] (PDF).
51. "Mid-Stream Lithium Project".
52. "Lithium Product Value".
53. [chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://calix.global/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/2025-12-23-PLS-Mid-stream-Construction-completion-Calix-ASX-Release.pdf "Construction of lithium Mid-Stream project complete"] (PDF).
54. "Magnesia Business Overview".
55. "Magnesium Hydroxide Products".
56. "Magnesia Product Range".
57. "Caustic Soda Alternative".
58. "Manufacturing Locations and Myrtle Springs".
59. "Inland Empire Resources Acquisition".
60. "Hydration Facility Expansion 2023".

External links

• Official website
• LEILAC Project
• Inland Empire Resources (IER)
• Calix Investor Centre
• Calix Technology Centre
• Calix “Innovating for the Earth” Podcast series

Cgrigorian (talk) 00:56, 26 March 2026 (UTC)