Vertical Exploration Inc. Announces Wollastonite Research and Development

Vancouver - Vertical Exploration Inc. (V: VERT.H) (“Vertical” or “the Company”) is pleased to announce that wollastonite (CaSiO3) shipments from the Company’s St. Onge Wollastonite project located in Quebec, Canada have arrived at the BC Bud Depot (BCBD) Strain Development and Medical Testing Facility in Vancouver, BC. Phase one of wollastonite testing commenced January 20th, 2018. BCBD’s ACMPR Licensed Facility features 5,500 square feet of indoor growing space with Phase one testing 190 cannabis plants.

Testing will take ongoing measurements from four categories plus a control group. The four test categories of wollastonite will consist of testing the different grades (crushed powder, crushed small granular, pelletized, and large ore) each subdivided into two groups according to increments of enrichment to the base potting mixture.

Research will distribute plant sets at 15% for each category, wollastonite enrichment will be subdivided at 5% and 10% per plant using the different ratios of grade. The control group (40%) will contain a base potting mixture which consists of 90% growing medium, 9% worm castings and less than 1% of glacial rock dust and kelp.

Operation Manager Rick Kendall says "Wollastonite has already many well-known benefits in agriculture, and we are excited to test this in a controlled way for the use in the cannabis industry. We believe we are the first in the industry to do trials."

Phase two will be commencing in late March with trials on the best 2 grades testing from Phase one. Phase two testing will consist of the increase/decrease % of wollastonite for each plant, consisting of 2%, 5%, 10% 15% and 20%, and a full 1:1 ratio test, along with a control group.

Vertical Director of Research and Development Matthew Harvey will oversee this process.

Mr. Harvey has been a master grower and in the industry since the mid 1990’s with worldwide exposure since 2004. Mr. Harvey is the Founder and CEO of BC Bud Depot ("BCBD"), a producer of marijuana seeds. BCBD takes pride in developing its award winning THC and CBD cannabis strains. During Mr. Harvey's tenure, BCBD has received over 21 Cannabis Cup awards, including 7 first place awards, 9 Top Strain awards, 6 top 3 strain awards and an induction in 2009 to the Seed Bank Hall of Fame award. Most recently, Mr. Harvey has steered BCBD towards a new developmental approach to medicinal genetics, Cannabinoid sciences and CBD proprietary strains.


ABOUT VERTICAL EXPLORATION

Vertical Exploration’s mission is to identify, acquire, and advance high potential mining prospects located in North America for the benefit of its stakeholders. The Company’s St-Onge Wollastonite property is located in the Lac-Saint-Jean area in the Province of Quebec.


ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD

Peter P. Swistak
President



FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT:

Vertical Exploration Inc.
Telephone: 1-604-683-3995
Toll Free: 1-888-945-4770



Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS: This news release contains forward-looking statements, which relate to future events or future performance and reflect management’s current expectations and assumptions. Such forward-looking statements reflect management’s current beliefs and are based on assumptions made by and information currently available to the Company. Investors are cautioned that these forward looking statements are neither promises nor guarantees, and are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause future results to differ materially from those expected. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date hereof and, except as required under applicable securities legislation, the Company does not assume any obligation to update or revise them to reflect new events or circumstances. All of the forward-looking statements made in this press release are qualified by these cautionary statements and by those made in our filings with SEDAR in Canada (available at www.sedar.com).

Source: Vertical Exploration Inc. (TSX Venture:VERT.H)