Following successful hand drilling on private and cleared farmland within its Sparkler C project, Allup Silica Limited (ASX: APS; FRA: U77) is already planning air core drilling and full metallurgical processing tests in the first quarter of the coming year.
Within Sparkler C, out of the 30 initial drill samples taken across the target area, 21 holes provided results above the cut-off value of 98%, with an average quartz content of 98.8% (SiO2) and an iron content of 2094 ppm (Fe2O3). The average surface grades of the 21 boreholes were 98.8% SiO2. The auger samples have identified high-purity quartz sand to a depth of 2.4 m with the potential for high-grade quartz sand that could be processed to grades of 99.5% silicon dioxide (SiO2) and less than 100 ppm iron (Fe2O3). Such purity grades are required for glass manufacturing.
Allup is focusing its exploration at Sparkler on cleared privately owned land. The added value for farmers could be in removing sand from farmland and exposing the more valuable soil types that may lie beneath. Sparkler C is located in the same area as Sparkler A (see ASX announcement dated June 30, 2022), where the results of metallurgical processing tests were (on average) 99.7% SiO2 and 84 ppm Fe2O3. These are values suitable for glass used in the photovoltaic industry (solar cells).
The upcoming air core drilling aims to expand the Sparkler silica sand project and search for additional suitable quartz sands in addition to the inferred mineral resource estimate of 70 million tonnes at Sparkler A (see ASX announcement dated June 30, 2022).
Andrew Haythorpe, Chairman of Allup Silica, commented: “The results of the hand drilling program on our Sparkler C project area have delivered the results we hoped for. I look forward to the next drilling phase, which will provide a better understanding of the extent of the high-grade resource.”
Conclusion: The young quartz sand company Allup Silica has only been listed on the stock exchange since March 2022 and raised 5 million AUD at 0.20 AUD during the IPO. As announced, the company is systematically working through its business plan and evaluating quartz sand projects across Australia. It is encouraging that the work on the very first project from its extensive portfolio is already being rewarded with very good results. Allup aims to benefit in the long term from the increasingly scarce supply of high-purity sands for the glass or photovoltaic industry.
