MONTREAL, Canada — HPQ Silicon Inc. (“HPQ” or the “Company”) (TSX-V: HPQ) (OTCQB: HPQFF) (FRA: 8PY1), a technology company driving innovation in advanced materials and critical process development, is pleased to inform shareholders that the leading global fumed silica manufacturer—under the LOI announced on July 9, 2024—has requested to receive samples of the material earlier than initially scheduled.
This follows HPQ’s May 21, 2025, press release confirming the independent validation [1] of HPQ Silica Polvere Inc.’s (HSPI) [2] fumed silica production using its proprietary Fumed Silica Reactor (FSR) Pilot Plant during the four-batch Phase One test. The request for sample shipment was made before HSPI’s technology supplier, PyroGenesis Inc. (TSX: PYR, OTCQX: PYRGF, FRA: 8PY1), completed its planned process and material optimizations in the ongoing testing program.
This early interest highlights the growing recognition of the unique potential of HSPI’s Fumed Silica Reactor to convert quartz into fumed silica in a single step.
Image 1 left) Samples of material produced during the fourth-batch Phase One test. Images 1 Right) TEM images of Fumed Silica nanoparticles [1], (a) HSPI Lab-scale Sample of material collected inside the reactor,
(b1 – b2) HSPI Pilot scale Samples collected from the Baghouse and (C1) Evonik commercial grades A90,
(c2) Evonik commercial grade A150, and (c3) Evonik commercial grade A200 [3].
Image 1 (gauche) Échantillons de matériaux produits lors de l’essai de phase 1 du quatrième lot. Image 1 (droite) Images MET de nanoparticules de silice pyrogénée [1], (a) Échantillon de matériau à l’échelle du laboratoire HSPI prélevé dans le réacteur,
(b1 – b2) Échantillons à l’échelle pilote HSPI prélevés dans le filtre à manches et (C1) Evonik qualités commerciales A90,
(c2) Evonik qualité commerciale A150 et (c3) Evonik qualité commerciale A200 [3].
“From the start, one of the goals of the LOI has been to work directly with the world’s leading fumed silica manufacturer to validate our FSR’s ability to produce material that meets their specifications,” said Bernard Tourillon, President and CEO of HPQ Silicon and HPQ Silica. “This collaboration gives HSPI access to over 80 years of real-world manufacturing and market expertise—an advantage that accelerates our development and strengthens our commercialization efforts. It’s a rare and valuable opportunity.”
Feedback from the leading global fumed silica manufacturer will be instrumental in accelerating the advancement of the pilot plant program, which is focused on two key objectives:
- Enhancing product-grade purity to determine market fit better, by:
- improving process control and parameter stability,
- achieving higher product surface areas through optimized powder morphology and viscosity
- Reaching the targeted production capacity of 50 tonnes per year (TPY) by:
- increasing silica conversion efficiency and overall yield
This next phase of collaboration and testing marks a critical step toward commercial validation, positioning HPQ and HSPI to accelerate market entry with a scalable, high-purity fumed silica solution. With direct input from a global industry leader and continued progress on process optimization, HPQ is confident in the potential of its proprietary technology to disrupt traditional fumed silica production and meet growing market demand.
REFERENCE SOURCES
[1] Independent analysis done at McGill University, Montreal Canada.
[2] A wholly owned subsidiary of HPQ Silicon Inc., when technology supplier PyroGenesis announced its intention to exercise its option to acquire a 50% stake in HSPI in May 2024.
[3] TEM images of Evonik’s commercial fumed silica material were obtained from the article: “Quantification of branching in fumed silica” by Andrew Mulderig, Gregory Beaucage⁎, Karsten Vogt, Hanqiu Jiang, and Vikram Kuppa, published in the Journal of Aerosol Science. These reference images were used for comparative analysis alongside lab- and pilot-scale samples produced by HSPI.
HPQ Silicon is a Quebec-based TSX Venture Exchange Tier 1 Industrial Issuer. With the support of world-class technology partners PyroGenesis Canada and NOVACIUM SAS, the company is developing new green processes crucial to make the critical materials needed to reach net zero emissions.
