Allup Silica Limited (ASX: ASP; FRA: U77) has presented the results of the first independent metallurgical tests on bulk samples from its Sparkler Silica Exploration Project (formerly known as Unicup Silica Exploration Project). The results of this initial round of test work demonstrated the potential for a high-grade quartz sand product.
Conventional processing steps such as wet screening, heavy liquid separation, attrition and screening, and magnetic separation yielded SiO2 contents between 99.5% and 99.8% and Fe2O3 contents between 0.007% (70 ppm) and 0.039% (390 ppm). Wet screening shows that the yield of the (+106 µm) fraction is between 88.7% and 90.5%, with SiO2 content between 99.3% and 99.7% and Fe2O3 content between 0.015% (150 ppm) and 0.16% (1600 ppm). The Sparkler Quartz Sand Exploration Project has had an inferred JORC resource of 73 million tonnes with low Fe₂O₃ impurities of 0.41% since October 2021.
The results of the tested samples indicate that high-grade quartz sand products can be produced from the mineral resource of the Sparkler A Silica Exploration Project. The next steps will focus on bulk sampling, development of a process flow diagram, estimation of potential product yield, product specification, and variability tests.
Visual Results of Test Work
The locations of the Sparkler Silica Exploration Project are about 300 km south of the capital city Perth in the southwestern region of Western Australia. This region has well-established infrastructure built to benefit local industry, agriculture, and the community.
The Sparkler Project comprises three granted exploration licenses E70/5447 (Sparkler A), E70/5527 (Sparkler B), and E70/5920 (Sparkler C).
The Sparkler site is accessible via all-weather, sealed highways and main roads, while the properties are easily accessible via some sealed and gravel/sand access roads. The local roads, some of which may need upgrading, are generally accessible and suitable for access by exploration teams and associated equipment. The nearest ports are Bunbury Port, about 200 km to the west, and Albany Port, about 150 km southeast of the project site.
The target areas of the Sparkler Silica Exploration Project are all on private land. This land is predominantly cleared pasture or land previously used for commercial forestry plantations that have since been harvested.
The high-grade, pure quartz silica sands are part of the Werillup Formation from the Middle to Late Eocene, consisting of alluvial river sands and gravels overlying low-grade coal and lignite deposited in coastal swamps.
