QTZ Begins Pilot Plant Operations to HPQ Specifications and Provides an Exploration Update
Lachute, October 13, 2022 - Quebec Silica Resources Corp. (CSE:QTZ) ("QTZ" or the "Company") is pleased to announce the commencement of its Phase 1 Pilot Plant testing and provide an update on exploration of the Charlevoix Silica Project.
PILOT PLANT PHASE 1 TESTING
For the past few weeks the first phase of the mobile pilot plant has been undergoing preliminary testing. The pilot plant (first phase) consists of a rock crusher capable of producing different sizes, different screens, and a ceramic ball mill to minimize metal contamination. The mobile plant was mobilized to a local gravel pit near the Charlevoix Silica Project. Over the summer, the field crews collected representative surface samples of quartzite and are now running a series of tests and experiments to refine different processes and procedures in order to produce different product specifications (Figure 1).
The goal of the pilot testing is to refine a process to produce suitable material to meet the specifications requested by HPQ Silicon Inc. for use in their proprietary technology, as well as other high-technology applications such as battery grade silica.
SUMMER 2022 EXPLORATION:
Quebec Silica's field teams have been busy all summer in the exploration and advancement of the Charlevoix Silica Project, activities are on schedule as planned.
To start the exploration season, EkoXplor, QTZ's main contractor in charge of physical work, completed a line cutting and trail re-establishment program. This allowed access throughout the property and the ability to perform modern systematic exploration for the first time. As per QTZ's and EkoXplor's mandates, all work was done in an environmentally low-impact fashion, existing trails were cleared and re-established, and lines were kept to a maximum width of 1.2m (4 feet).
With access to the property established, the INRS field team performed property wide geological mapping, a structural study, and geochemical and petrophyscal sampling was carried out.
Following line cutting and access re-establishment, efforts focused on the "Central Zone" as shown on Figure 2. To keep the footprint and impact as small as possible, EkoXplor utilized a mini-excavator and power washers to strip trenches off the known silica outcropping known as the "Central Zone" (Figure 3), a total of 16 trenches were stripped from the Central Zone, EkoXplor subsequently cut channels within the trenches across the stratigraphy. Both Raymond Wladichuk, P.Geo., and Dr. Marc Richer-Lafleche, P.Geo. (OGQ registered professional geologists), provided channel sampling direction (selection of the channel sampling lines) and geological supervision to the EkoXplor crew. Channel sampling was performed at 1m intervals, the samples were photographed, labelled, bagged-tagged-sealed, and sent to the INRS laboratory in Quebec City for description and analysis. High resolution ground magnetic, gradiometric, electrical conductivity surveys were conducted over the Main Zone by the INRS field crew, as well as a high-resolution survey (GPS-RTK) to precisely georeference the channel sample locations and map the stripped zones. An SFM (Structure from Motion) photogrammetric study was carried on the 16 trenches/channels in order to construct a precise three dimensional digital terrain model and to establish a detailed 3D photoghraphic register of the geology along the stripped zones.
NEWLY DISCOVERED ZONES AND NEW CLAIMS
As a result of prospecting and mapping, new zones of potentially high-grade quartzite outcroppings have been identified resulting in the need to acquire additional mineral claims along the northern edge of original claim block (Figure 2).
FALL 2022
The Company plans on performing detailed geological follow up of the newly discovered quartzite zones, as well as further prospecting for more new zones.
The Company is awaiting ministry approval to perform a geotechnical drilling investigation of the Central Zone. The plan is to utilize a small, low-impact, tracked geotechnical drill rig to drill shallow boreholes with the goal of producing a simple resource calculation and extraction design of the Central Zone.
FIGURE 1: DIFFERENT PRODUCT GRADES PRODUCED BY THE MOBILE PILOT PLANT DURING PHASE 1 PRELIMINARY TESTING
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https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/7968/140380_figure1a.jpg
FIGURE 2: GEOLOGICAL MAP SHOWING THE CHARLEVOIX SILICA PROJECT ALONG STRIKE FROM THE ACTIVE SITEC SILICA QUARRY, LOCATION OF THE QUARTZITE FORMATION, LOCATION OF THE MAIN ZONE, AND THE NEWLY ACQUIRED CLAIMS
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https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/7968/140380_figure2.jpg
FIGURE 3: CENTRAL ZONE STRIPPING AND CHANNEL SAMPLE EXAMPLES
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https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/7968/140380_figure3.jpg
About Quebec Silica Resources Corp.
Quebec Silica Resources Corp. is a mineral exploration, and development company focused on exploring, developing, and acquiring industrial mineral resources in Quebec, Canada. The Company is currently focused on its wholly-owned Charlevoix Silica Project, near St. Urbane, Quebec, Canada, and has a portfolio of multiple silica properties in Quebec.
Additional information on Quebec Silica. is available at www.quebecsilica.com.
On behalf of the Board of Directors,
Québec Silica Resources Corp.
"Raymond Wladichuk, P.Geo."
Chief Executive Officer
info@quebecsilica.com
1-877-774-5422
Neither the Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the CSE policies) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release and has neither approved nor disapproved the contents of this news release.
Raymond Wladichuk, P.Geo., (OGQ permit number: 02287), is the CEO of Québec Silica Resources Corp., and a Qualified Person for National Instrument 43-101 - Standards for Disclosure of Mineral Projects has reviewed and approved the scientific and technical information contained in the news release.
Forward-Looking Statements
This news release contains statements that constitute "forward-looking statements". Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause Quebec Silica's actual results, performance or achievements, or developments in the industry to differ materially from the anticipated results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts and are generally, but not always, identified by the words "expects," "plans," "anticipates," "believes," "intends," "estimates," "projects," "potential" and similar expressions, or that events or conditions "will," "would," "may," "could" or "should" occur.
Although Quebec Silica believes the forward-looking information contained in this news release is reasonable based on information available on the date hereof, by their nature, forward-looking statements involve assumptions, known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause our actual results, performance or achievements, or other future events, to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements.
Examples of such assumptions, risks and uncertainties include, without limitation, assumptions, risks and uncertainties associated with general economic conditions; the Covid-19 pandemic; adverse industry events; future legislative and regulatory developments in the mining sector; the Company's ability to access sufficient capital from internal and external sources, and/or inability to access sufficient capital on favorable terms; mining industry and markets in Canada and generally; the ability of Quebec Silica to implement its business strategies; competition; and other assumptions, risks and uncertainties.
The forward-looking information contained in this news release represents the expectations of the Company as of the date of this news release and, accordingly, is subject to change after such date. Readers should not place undue importance on forward-looking information and should not rely upon this information as of any other date. While the Company may elect to, it does not undertake to update this information at any particular time except as required in accordance with applicable laws.
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