Australasian Metals (ASX:A8G) has defined the potential for its Dingo Hole Highly Pure Quartz Project in the Northern Territory, via estimating a maiden exploration target.
Independent technical consultants SRK Consulting estimated the exploration target for Dingo Hole between 10.4 million tonnes to 42.6 million tonnes at a post-leached silicon dioxide grade between 99.37% and 99.85%.
Australasian Metals notes the potential quantity and grade of the exploration target is “conceptual in nature”. Yet, it is uncertain if further exploration will result in defining mineral resources at Dingo Hole.
Australasian defines Dingo Hole potential
Managing Director Qingtao Zeng says the exploration target only covers the central part of the project, which highlights further potential.
“Dingo Hole has unique geological characteristics, including extremely low impurities, which positions it well for the global high-purity quartz market at a time when there is significant growth in the market for AI-related semiconductor applications and photovoltaic growth,” Zeng says.
“We look forward to conducting further exploration within the exploration target area. The extensive outcrop of quartz means we can deliver high impact and low-cost exploration programs, and potentially shorten the time frame to a maiden resource estimate.”
While Australasian Metals defines the Dingo Hole potential, broadly it aims to enhance its understanding of the geological and geochemical characteristics of the silica unit, which is shallow dipping and overlies a dolomite unit.
Its exploration program is designed to ensure a comprehensive evaluation of the potential high purity quartz resources and to facilitate subsequent metallurgical testing.
Based on mapping work, the company has designed further surface sampling, an Aboriginal survey and renewal of Aboriginal Areas Protection Authority, and a drilling program.
Drilling will involve reverse circulation comprising 20 holes for 3,000m. The aim is to estimate a reliable mineral resource for high purity quartz and obtain samples for metallurgical testing.
Australasian Metals is a lithium, gold, and precious metals explorer focused on its projects in Australia.
High Pure Quartz (HPQ) is defined as silica with a total contamination of not more than 50 ppm (99.995% SiO2) and while modern processing methods can remove much of the contamination, it is the substitutional elements which constrain the ultimate purity and therefore the value of the silica.
Australasian reports Ultra-High Pure Quartz is expressed relative to an industry standard benchmark called IOTA which contains less than 16.2ppm aluminium and total impurities less than 20ppm, equating to 99.998% SiO2.
Aluminium is a structural element within silica and there is no known method to remove it. As such, the natural levels determine the value of the silica. The IOTA-8 standard for titanium is less than 1.2ppm and lithium less than 200ppb. IOTA standard ultra-High Pure Quartz material has a current market price in excess of US$5,000 per tonne and the global market for this type of product is currently around 100,000 tonnes per annum.
The company notes only a select group of ultra high-quality deposits globally are able to meet IOTA standards. High Pure Quartz has become one of today’s key strategic raw materials for high-tech manufacturing industries.
Silica glass produced from High Pure Quartz offers a wide range of exceptional optical, technical and thermal properties, which are essential for manufacturing many high-tech products in areas such as semiconductor technologies, high temperature lamp tubing, telecommunications and optics.
The company says there is a rapidly growing demand for sources of exceptionally High Pure Quartz, particularly in respect to very low levels of alkali-metal impurities, such as sodium, potassium and lithium ions.
Such High Pure Quartz is needed to prepare quartz frequency and timing control devices for electronic applications, as high purity raw materials for optical fibres, to prepare fused quartz optical grade glass such as for halogen vapor lamps, and to prepare crucibles and other quartz apparatus for making high purity silicon crystals for transistors, chips, and other electronic and semiconducting devices such as photovoltaic cells.
Write to Aaliyah Rogan at Mining.com.au
Images: Australasian Metals
