VRX Silica’s grant application for $2 million in matched funding under the Western Australian Government’s Investment Attraction Fund (IAF) has been approved with a Financial Assistance Agreement (FAA).

The IAF is part of the state government’s Diversify WA initiative, a collaboration between government, industry and the community supporting the WA Government’s focus on creating secure, quality jobs, growing and diversifying the economy and attracting new investment.

The IAF is administered by the Department of Jobs, Tourism, Science and Innovation (JTSI).

The grant under the IAF is being awarded on a matched funding, dollar for dollar basis, whereby the IAF will provide a financial contribution to VRX up to $2 million.

The project proposed by VRX will investigate the potential to develop a high purity quartz (or HPQ) flour manufacturing process and pilot plant in Western Australia, which if successful will lead to the development of a larger commercial plant for large scale processing.

VRX Managing Director Bruce Maluish said: “This project is a consequence of the metallurgical testwork on silica sand that VRX has conducted over the last few years.

“The company has developed a thorough understanding of the characteristics of each of its deposits and how those projects can produce silica products that are most in demand.

“This is another opportunity to supply products into a niche market and add further value to our silica sand projects.”