VRX Silica secures $2m government grant

VRX Silica (ASX:VRX) has secured a $2m grant from the Western Australian State Government’s Investment Attraction Fund (IAF).

The IAF is part of the Sate Government’s Diversify WA initiative, a collaboration between government, industry and the community supporting the focus on creating secure, quality jobs, growing and diversifying the economy and attracting new investment.

The grant is being awarded on a matched funding, dollar for dollar basis, where IAF will provide a financial contribution to VRX, up to $2m.

VRX will use the grant for test work and construction of a pilot plant for the high purity quartz flour project.

The company intends to develop a high purity quartz flour manufacturing process to meet a standard of 99.999% pure silicon dioxide. This involves the establishment a new lower purity quartz resource and a high purity quartz flour manufacturing plant.

The key objective of this project is to commercialise the manufacturing process of high purity quartz flour within WA.  

VRX managing director Bruce Maluish commented on the receival of the grant.

“This project is a consequence of the metallurgical testwork on silica sand that VRX has conducted over the last few years,” he said.

“The company has developed a thorough understanding of the characteristics of each of its deposits and how those projects can produce silica products that are most in demand.

“This is another opportunity to supply products in a niche market and add further value to our silica sand projects.”