Australian Silica Quartz Group Ltd (ASX:ASQ, OTC:BXRDF) has gone in with the diamond drill at the Quartz Hill mineral resource within the Quartz Hill MGSi Project in North Queensland in the pursuit of samples for metallurgical test work.
High-grade quartz from Quartz Hill – which holds a resource of 17.3 million tonnes of MGSi quartz with 99.04% silicon dioxide (SiO2), per the JORC 2012 resource estimate – will be essential for the solar silicon manufacturing industry as a precursor feedstock for the production of MGSi.
Additionally, high-purity silica from the project is used in semiconductors, computer processors, monocrystalline silicon manufacturing, optical fibres, high-performance ceramics and specialty glass applications.
Outcropping quartz at the Quartz Hill MGSi Project.
Multi-billion dollar facility
The fully funded work program is supported by investment manager Quinbrook’s July 2023 contribution to ASQ’s exploration costs.
Quinbrook, which specialises in energy transformation, has been conditionally allocated a 200-hectare portion of the Lansdown Eco-Industrial Precinct in Townsville, Queensland.
It is hoped that, pending further detailed quality testing and feasibility work, the Quartz Hill resource will support the multi-billion-dollar state-of-the-art polysilicon manufacturing facility Quinbrook has earmarked for the site.
The polysilicon facility would be powered by a large-scale solar and battery storage project adjacent to Lansdown.
ASQ has received A$1 million from Quinbrook for the exclusive right to purchase 10 million tonnes of MGSi quartz from Quartz Hill at a 10% discount to the market price or a fair market return to ASQ, whichever is greater.
The project is 10 kilometres north of Mount Surprise, accessible via the Gulf Development Road, 200 kilometres southwest of Cairns and 290 kilometres northwest of Townsville.
Detailed characterisation of quartz
The drilling, conducted by DDH1 Drilling Pty Ltd, will target a depth of 100 metres using a larger diameter PQ core to twin reverse circulation (RC) hole ASQQHRC010.
Samples obtained will undergo rigorous testing including crushing, screening, pressure washing, scrubbing and ore sorting.
This test work is crucial for the detailed characterisation of the expected quartz lump product as part of the Quartz Hill MGSi Project scoping study.