Muchea Silica Sand Project

Project Summary

Supplying Western Australia with sustainable, high-purity silica sand for a new hi-tech, ultra-clear glass manufacturing industry VRX Silica Limited, a Perth-based ASX listed company is developing the high-grade, long-life Muchea Silica Sand Project 50km north east of Perth and other silica sand projects in the Mid-West VRX is pursuing the establishment of a glass making facility in Western Australia to manufacture specialist glass for use in solar panels, LCD screens and other high-tech products. This globally scarce resource will support the establishment of new local downstream industries with significant investment and job creation.

Muchea is one of only a few world-class silica sand projects with an exceptionally long life and an outstanding grade of 99 9% SiO2 This level of purity means it is perfectly suited to the booming ultra-clear solar panel flat glass industry.

Muchea has a world-class Mineral Resource of 208Mt.

Project description

Muchea is located 50km north of Perth, adjacent to highway and rail connections to Kwinana Port and adjacent energy infrastructure. It is one of few world-class silica sand projects with an outstanding high-grade purity of 99.9% SiO₂ and <100ppm Fe₂O_3..

Exploration, metallurgy and process circuit design is complete with detailed engineering underway. Processing on-site will include, screening, attritioning, flotation and classification to produce high-grade (99.9% SiO₂) low iron sand for export via Kwinana or Bunbury Port.

VRX intends to develop High Purity Quartz Flour utilising Muchea’s coarse silica sand as the feedstock. A production circuit includes drying, ball milling, air classification and screening to produce a desired particle size distribution. Samples sent to three major global buyers receiving positive feedback.

Investment opportunity details

VRX has five high-grade, low impurity silica sand projects in WA boasting multi-decade scale deposits with a combined Mineral Resource +1.38billion tonnes of 99.6% to 99.9% SiO₂ silica sand. The high-grade Muchea Silica Sand Project will be the second project to be developed following the Arrowsmith North project. One Mining Lease is granted with Native Title and Aboriginal Heritage agreements in place.  Environmental studies are complete with WA EPA referral targeted mid-2025.

Muchea’s high-grade silica sand is expected to be used in ultra-clear solar panel glass manufacturing. Burgeoning uptake of solar panels is expected to drive exponential growth in demand for high quality silica sand.

In July 2023, VRX Silica’s application for the Investment Attraction Fund was accepted by the WA State Government, awarding a $2 million grant. High Purity Quartz Flour is the main ingredient to produce LCD/LED/Strengthened Glass.