VRX Silica releases Boyatup maiden resource, confirms ‘significant’ silica sand project

Just five months after kicking off a new drilling program, VRX Silica (ASX: VRX) has declared a maiden resource at its Boyatup project, which is 125km east of Esperance in Western Australia.

The maiden inferred mineral resource totals 60 million tonnes at 97.8% silicon dioxide.

This result is based on 46 hand-held auger, and 160 vacuum drill holes for 312m completed in March at the project. Holes were drilled to a depth of between 3m and 4m.

The new resource at Boyatup beefs up VRX’s portfolio, which already includes two advanced silica sand projects, Arrowsmith and Muchea.

New market

Managing director Bruce Maluish says this maiden resource estimate has added “significantly” to the company’s current inventory, and brings the total silica sand resource to 1.12 billion tonnes.

“The Boyatup mineral resource has confirmed our belief that this is a significant silica sand project,” he added.

The sand at Boyatup is different in nature to that at the company’s other projects and can open up new markets for VRX.

Test work demonstrates that the resource can be processed to a high-quality glass making sand quality.

Production will be shipped through bigger port

There is a logistical advantage as well.

Mr Maluish says that the sand from Boyatup will be exported through the Esperance port, and thus not be affected by the logistical constraints of the Kwinana and Geraldton ports which will service sand projects near the state’s western coastline.

Esperance can handle Cape size vessels of up to 200,000 tonnes.

VRX has said previously that the vegetation at Boyatup lends itself to the company’s unique environmental rehabilitation technique, known as vegetation direct transfer or VDT, that will be used at Arrowsmith and Muchea.

No chemicals, no dust and vegetation protected

This vegetation direct transfer method can facilitate rapid and extensive regeneration, with the rehabilitation being carried out on a continuous basis as mining progresses.

The proposed transfer method removes a 400mm-deep sod, with the topsoil containing the vast majority of the native flora and invertebrate fauna being preserved.

The near-surface humus and its microbial content remain intact.

VRX says it will use no chemicals, and produce no dust, while processing the mined silica sand.

A “substantial” amount of the water used at the project will be recycled, with a goal of 95% of the water being reused.