Quebec Innovative samples 99.07% silica at Charlevoix, Quebec
Quebec Innovative Materials Corp. [QIMC-CSE], previously Quebec Silica Resources Corp., has discovered new zones of highly pure quartzite on the company’s wholly owned Charlevoix silica project, Quebec. Seven samples were delivered to ALS Global’s lab in Val d’Or, Quebec where they underwent purity analysis. These samples were selected from various locations on the outcrops and averaged over 98% SiO2 (silica) ranging from 97% to over 99%.
The QI Materials field team’s mapping and prospecting efforts have led to the discovery of newly found quartzite outcroppings with remarkably high purity grade. The new zones currently named zones 3, 4, and 5 occur approximately 1 km northeast of zones 1 and 2. According to SIGEOM,the ministry of Quebec’s public natural resources database, the new zones are located outside of the Zec des Martres.
The QIMC team is currently establishing access to the newly discovered zones and performing detailed mapping and sampling to better define the quartzite formation, which is open along strike.
“The majority of the samples collected from the new zones are of beautiful, clear, near-crystalline quartzite. The team is ready to push hard into the fall season to better understand the geology and dimensions of this quartzite formation,” stated Raymond Wladichuk, P.Geo., CEO.
The company also recently received results from infill channel sample analysis on Zone 1. As discussed in the news release dated April 27, 2023, approximately half of the channel samples were retained by QI Materials for internal and purity analysis by ALS Global. The remaining half of the samples were retained by the Institute National Recherche Scientifique for analysis and for purity analysis by Act Labs. QI Materials intentionally had two different labs complete the purity analysis as a level of Quality Assurance/Quality Control (QA/QC). As shown on Figure 3 all the channel samples across the formation average over 98%, ranging as high a 99.88% SiO2.
The demand for silicon metals is steadily increasing as a result of growing needs in various sectors such as solar panels, microprocessors, and silicon alloys. This heightened demand its valuable characteristics as a semi-conductor and due to its structural properties, thereby continuing to generate favorable supply-side prospects for both silicon metal and high-purity silica feedstock.
The QI Materials partnership with HPQ Silicon Inc. [HPQ-TSXV] has resulted in confirmation that QI Material’s silica meets the requirements for use as feedstock in HPQ’s environmentally benign, silica to silicon metal processing technology. HPQ is focused on both green processing of silica to silicon metal and the production of silicon battery components for use in advanced silicon batteries. QIMC’s focus on this partnership gives the Company exposure to an advanced battery supply chain and green processing technology that will be further explored as HPQ’s plant construction continues.
Additionally, the company entered into a Memorandum of Understanding with Ekopav, a Canadian company focused on innovative eco-friendly solutions for the paving industry. The MOU stipulates the procurement of a specific tonnage of silica sands from QIMC for Ekopav’s manufacturing of commercial asphalt products. Silica materials used in production of asphalt products are not required to be metallurgical grade. The company is pleased to engage Ekopav as potential future purchaser of sub-metallurgical grade silica.
As a result of the availability of tonnage-sized samples due to the successful commissioning of pilot plant, which consists of various crushing and sorting equipment, the company is currently evaluating additional metallurgical testing and is expected to finalize analyses agreement and commence broad metallurgy testing shorty at an independent lab.
The material testing will determine the chemically suitability for a wide variety of silica and silicon metal applications such, as medium quality feedstock, for metallurgical-grade silicon using traditional submerged arc-furnace processing.
An approximately one-tonne sample of Charelvoix quartzite is being prepared for shipment for mineralogical analyses. It is expected the analyses will include X-ray diffraction analysis, chemical analyses through X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy, grain size distribution, mineral processing analysis, automated optical sorting, and thermal stability testing.
QIMC is working toward becoming a sustainable supplier of resources which are essential in advanced batteries and the electrification of the green economy. The Company has a 100% interest in the Charlevoix Silica Project, near Clermont, Quebec, as well as other mineral properties in Quebec. The company also performs pilot processing on industrial minerals, refining processes to create custom products.