Aspiring silica sands miner VRX Silica (ASX :VRX) says the results of rock chip samples from its Warradanda project near Newman have showed the potential to produce a high purity quartz product. High purity quartz is a special category of silica sand used in high added value products, including optical fibres, LED lights and high-tech glass.
VRX Silica Limited (ASX: VRX) has announced the results of rock chip samples from its Warrawanda Project, located, 40km south of Newman in Western Australia.
The Company has held the Warrawanda Project since listing in 2011 (as Ventnor Resources Ltd) with its primary focus on the nickel prospectivity on a massive ultramafic intrusion which runs east-west across the tenements.
Since the Company has changed direction to supply the Silica Sand market the tenement was re-evaluated to examine the quartz outcrops which dot the landscape in the granites adjoining the ultra-mafic intrusion. Three outcrops have been initially sampled with outstanding results at each with the potential to produce a High Purity Quartz (HPQ) product.
VRX Silica Managing Director Bruce Maluish said: “This is potentially yet another product we can supply in to the Silica market.
“The HPQ market is much smaller and industry specific than the silica sand market for glassmaking but it is significantly higher value with prices up to US$300 per tonne for crushed and bagged HPQ.”
High purity quartz is a special category of silica and used in high added value products, particularly optical fibres, LED lights, silicon manufactured for use in the electronics industry, photovoltaic cells and high tech glass.
There is significant growth in the production of LED lights and a high market demand for HPQ. The Warrawanda HPQ Project is close to the town of Newman and immediately adjacent to Great Northern Highway which connects to Fremantle with ample opportunity for backloads from trucks servicing the Pilbara.
The Company will conduct a diamond drill program to test the extent and quality of the deposits mid-year following an Aboriginal Heritage survey.
