Allup Silica Limited announced the results of its latest metallurgical tests based on improvements in the Company's process circuit design. Results, which are detailed below, have produced a consistent high-grade <100 ppm FeO silica sands product from samples taken at the Company's Sparkler Silica Exploration Project in Western Australia. Grades of this purity are considered suitable for the photo-voltaic (solar panel) industry which is a prime target market for Allup Silica.

Silica sand is a raw material used in the production of optical fibre, ceramics, refractory materials and glassmaking, including the specialty glass required for photovoltaic (solar panels) and other high-tech product applications like tablet and mobile telephone glass. The presence of impurities, particularly Fe2O3, has adverse effects on the silica sand product as it impairs transmission in optical fibres, reduces transparency of glass, discolours ceramic products and lowers the melting point of refractory materials. Silica sand, with these impurities, is also typically less valuable.

Results from the recently improved process circuit design include: Fe2O3 impurity lowered to an average of 84 ppm Fe2O3 (65 ppm to 110 ppm across four samples). SiO2 grades between 99.7% (lowest) and 99.8% (highest). An excellent 95%-97% recovery (yield) of SiO2 was achieved across all of the sighter tests, and this will be the focus of further optimisation work.

Results from the Company's work on its process circuit design is a positive step towards understanding how to produce a high purity silica sand that is suitable for use by the photovoltaic industry (specification >99.5% SiO2 and <100 ppm Fe2O3). Testwork is ongoing to further refine the proposed process circuit methodology and achieve the ultimate goal of a consistent iron at sub-100 ppm across all of Allup Silica's Exploration Projects. The next work program will serve multiple objectives: Producing a more consistent low impurity (<100 ppm Fe2O3) product.

Looking for potential to reduce capex and operating costs (reduction of upstream classifying). Enabling consistent Quality Assurance/Quality Control (QA/QC) production. Achieving a methodology that could potentially support an increase in the depth of sand to be viably mined, as this may potentially increase estimated mineral reserves.

The testwork was carried out on a total of four samples from the Sparkler A Silica Exploration Project, from samples taken as part of the current Inferred Mineral Resource Estimate. The metallurgical testwork was conducted at the Nagrom Mineral Processing facility in Perth, and the results issued to Battery Limits Metallurgical Consultants for review and preparation of an Independent Metallurgical Report. The objective of the testwork program was to beneficiate a high purity silica sand with low impurities, specifically Fe2O3<100 ppm (0.01%).

The testwork program comprised of a standard silica sand process circuit, including flotation. The summary data is primarily focussed on the sighter flotation results. The results indicate good recovery (>95%) of SiO2 to float tails (product), and a reduction in the grade of impurities in all cases, with a reduction in Fe2O3 of between 11 and 33 % (Fe2O3) recovered to concentrate.

Overall, from the four sighter tests conducted, grades of SiO2 varied, with 3 achieving Fe2O3 grade with <100 ppm and significant reduction in the Al2O3 and TiO2.