Vertical Announces Encouraging Results from its Phase 1 Wollastonite Research and Development Program with AGRINOVA
Vertical Announces Encouraging Results from its Phase 1 Wollastonite
Research and Development Program with AGRINOVA
VANCOUVER, BC / May 14th, 2019 VERTICAL EXPLORATION INC. (TSX-V: VERT)
("Vertical" or "the Company") is pleased to announce that, further to its press release
dated April 29, 2019, the Company has received positive results from its Phase 1
Research and Development program that was conducted by AGRINOVA using
wollastonite from the Company’s St-Onge deposit. All of the research and testing in the
Phase 1 program was managed and monitored by AGRINOVA, a highly-regarded Center
for Research and Innovation in Agriculture in Quebec, in an effort to optimize the
potential agricultural uses of wollastonite and help improve production methods for
farmers and agricultural companies located in Quebec.
The Phase 1 program conducted by AGRINOVA over the past year focused on research
and testing in two key component areas, including characterizing and confirming that
Vertical’s wollastonite can meet regulatory requirements for agricultural applications in
Quebec and investigating potential markets for the St-Onge wollastonite resource. The
third key component of the Phase 1 program, which involves developing applied
research programming in order to allow Vertical’s wollastonite to be upgraded
according to regulatory requirements and markets, will be the subject of a further study
to be undertaken by AGRINOVA in the upcoming months.
The first component results provided by AGRINOVA clearly indicate that Vertical’s St-
Onge wollastonite could be BNQ (Bureau de nomalisation du Quebec) certified or
registered under the Fertilizers Act in Quebec, and potentially be used in the
manufacture of slow-mineralizing fertilizer. The safety profile of Vertical’s wollastonite
was successfully demonstrated by a germination and elongation test with barley.
AGRINOVA went on to report that the St-Onge wollastonite has a neutralizing power
and efficiency which compares it favorably with current lime products, and that it has
appreciable levels of major and minor elements (Silicon, Calcium, Magnesium and
Manganese) that are essential for plant nutrition and growth. Another benefit of
Vertical’s wollastonite that was identified by AGRINOVA is its high bio-availability of
silicon that leads to both enhanced plant growth and resistance to abiotic and biotic
stress in a range of agricultural crops, as studies have shown there is a significant need
for this element that is not being filled by commercial fertilizers.
Results for the second market study component that was undertaken by AGRINOVA,
indicate that wollastonite has a significant potential to be used for maple production
(maple syrup production), organic agriculture, sod production, large-scale crops (cereals,
corn and soybeans) and boreal forestry (spruce budworm control and post-fire
regeneration). Based on these uses, the potential agricultural demand for wollastonite
in the initial target market of Quebec could be in the order of 6,400 tonnes for the
Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean region, and approximately 274,000 tonnes for the province of
Quebec as a whole. AGRINOVA also estimates that there could be additional demand of
approximately 59,000 tonnes from the Maritime Provinces of Canada, based on the
increased potential for wollastonite to be used for regional blueberry and potato crops.
Peter P. Swistak, president and chief executive officer of Vertical Exploration,
commented:”These intital results from AGRINOVA’s Phase 1 program are very
encouraging and show that Vertical’s wollastonite can potentially become BNQ certified
for agricultural use in Quebec, which again is an important and necessary step for
Vertical to take before it can move forward with its marketing and sales efforts in
Quebec. The AGRINOVA report also verifies that our St-Onge wollastonite has a number
of valuable natural mineral properties that support overall soil health, help control pests
and bolster yields for maple trees, barley and blueberries alike. I am also very pleased to
find that Vertical’s wollastonite has the potential to be classified as an organic certified
fertilizer and soil amendment. Given these very positive results, we are now moving
forward to engage AGRINOVA to conduct additional work on the third component of the
Phase 1 program over the coming months. This component will involve AGRINOVA
designing and implementing an applied research program in order to allow Vertical’s
wollastonite to be upgraded for other potential uses and then tested according to
varying regulatory requirements and markets. We look forward to providing updates
and results from this important third research component as they become available.”
The complete AGRINOVA Phase 1 program report will be uploaded and made available
to shareholders and the public on the Company’s website (https://vertxinc.com).
ABOUT AGRINOVA
AGRINOVA (www.agrinova.qc.ca), the Center for Research and Innovation in
Agriculture, is a Technology Access Centre located in Alma, Quebec that provides
technical help and services to farmers and agricultural companies throughout the
province in order to help them access new technologies and assist them with the
adoption of innovative new technologies and practices. AGRINOVA’s technology support
focuses primarily on consumer concerns (milk quality); reducing greenhouse gas (GHG)
emissions; organic or natural products; comfort and well-being of animals; digital
adoption; and the economic efficiency of companies.
ABOUT VERTICAL EXPLORATION
Vertical Exploration’s mission is to identify, acquire, and advance high potential mining
prospects located in North America for the benefit of its stakeholders. The Company’s
St-Onge Wollastonite property is located in the Lac-Saint-Jean area in the Province of
Quebec.
ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD
Peter P. Swistak, President/CEO
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT: Telephone: 1-604-683-3995 Toll Free:
1-888-945-4770
Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is
defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the
adequacy or accuracy of this release.
FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS: This news release contains forward-looking
statements, which relate to future events or future performance and reflect
management's current expectations and assumptions. Such forward-looking
statements reflect management's current beliefs and are based on assumptions made
by and information currently available to the Company. Investors are cautioned that
these forward-looking statements are neither promises nor guarantees, and are
subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause future results to differ materially
from those expected. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date
hereof and, except as required under applicable securities legislation, the Company
does not assume any obligation to update or revise them to reflect new events or
circumstances. All of the forward-looking statements made in this press release are
qualified by these cautionary statements and by those made in our filings with SEDAR
in Canada (available at www.sedar.com).
SOURCE: Vertical Exploration Inc.