VERTICAL EXPLORATION INC. announced that it has formed a Research and Cooperation Alliance with Mineraux Mart Inc. (Mineraux Mart) related to the research, development and testing of a range of innovative value-added products utilizing the Company's premium-quality St-Onge wollastonite. Vertical had been approached by Mineraux Mart in recent months to investigate the possibility of testing and developing new products and applications for its St-Onge wollastonite for a number of emerging industrial and agricultural markets. Vertical subsequently delivered a 29-tonne shipment of its premium wollastonite to Mineraux Mart earlier this month, and testing and development of new high-value products has now begun.

Mineraux Mart, located in Saint-Joseph-de-Sorel Quebec, is a high volume-value added distributor of innovative products for North America and the world. The Quebec based enterprise is a key player in the North American field of metallurgy, and it offers product development and related services to support the transformation of minerals, alloys and industrial by-products. Mineraux Mart and its related company Bécancour Transformation Services Inc. (STB) specifically offer crushing, mixing, agglomeration, screening, drying, packaging, storage, loading and unloading services of all kinds.

Mineraux Mart and STB also have an extensive research and development laboratory, mainly focused on process validation and product characterization. Port, rail and road infrastructure are also easily accessible close to Mineraux Mart's distribution center, allowing for the efficient reception and shipping of products world-wide to Mineraux Mart and STB's partners and global manufacturers such as Elkem, Amcol, Covia, Larpen, Heraeus/Electro-Nite and Ask Chemicals.