HPQ Silicon Inc., a leading technology company, is making significant strides in the field of high-purity silicon production. With its innovative approach and proprietary technology, the PUREVAPTM Quartz Reduction Reactor (QRR) process, HPQ Silicon is transforming the industry. The company's recent achievements highlight its commitment to advancing green engineering processes for silica and silicon material production. Through strategic partnerships and groundbreaking research, HPQ Silicon is revolutionizing the production of high-purity silicon while driving down costs.

“MASSIVE MILESTONE” WITH 99.92% SILICON PURITY IN ONE STEP

In a groundbreaking development, HPQ Silicon Inc. has announced a major breakthrough in its silicon production process. The company's GEN3 QRR pilot plant, utilizing the cutting-edge PUREVAPTM Quartz Reduction Reactor (QRR) process, has achieved an unprecedented silicon purity exceeding 3N+ (99.92% Si) in a single step. This achievement is a testament to the effectiveness of HPQ Silicon's advanced technology and its potential to transform the high-purity silicon industry.

The recent validation of the GEN3 pilot plant program by PyroGenesis Canada Inc., a renowned technology provider, further underscores the significance of this achievement, which confirmed the QRR process's capability to reduce the cash cost of silicon metal manufacturing through a streamlined, single-step process and reduced feedstock requirement. These promising results highlight HPQ Silicon's commitment to advancing its QRR technology and revolutionizing the production of high-purity silicon.

Bernard Tourillon, President & CEO of HPQ Silicon, expressed his excitement about this milestone, stating, "These advancements mark a milestone for HPQ Silicon and highlight the effectiveness of the PUREVAPTM QRR process in modernizing the production of high-purity Silicon while concurrently driving down production costs. The existing processes have remained largely unchanged for the past century."

The exceptional purity achieved by HPQ Silicon's QRR pilot plant is a significant step forward for the company. The silicon material generated in this test demonstrated an average purity of 99.92%, surpassing the minimum purity requirement of 3N, specifically for battery-grade silicon. This achievement propels HPQ Silicon closer to its goal of producing high-purity silicon for battery and other high-value applications using the QRR process.

STEADILY PROGRESSING TOWARDS ATTAINING A CONVERSION EFFICIENCY OF 75%, WHICH WILL REPRESENT A LEAP FORWARD IN HIGH-PURITY SILICON MANUFACTURING

The QRR process developed by HPQ Silicon presents a remarkable opportunity to reduce cash costs for silicon production. Traditional methods typically yield metallurgical grade silicon (1-2N purity) at production yields ranging from 80 to 90%. However, when optimizing for higher purity silicon (2-3N), production yields drop to 50-60%. 

The PUREVAPTM QRR reactor, with its enclosed design, has the potential to achieve a conversion efficiency exceeding 75% while consistently maintaining a purity level of 3N+ and beyond. This remarkable efficiency would allow HPQ Silicon to produce one unit of silicon using fewer units of feedstock, potentially leading to a greater than 25% reduction in feedstock usage.

Test #5 of the GEN3 pilot plant program demonstrated significant progress in optimizing feedstock utilization in the QRR process. The conversion efficiency reached 20%, a four-fold improvement compared to previous tests. Mr. Tourillon emphasized the importance of these results, stating, "Results to date demonstrate that we are steadily progressing towards attaining a conversion efficiency of 75%, which will represent a leap forward in high-purity silicon manufacturing, providing HPQ with economic advantages and process efficiency within the silicon industry."

In addition to this groundbreaking achievement, HPQ Silicon also announced the filing of a new QRR process patent. The company has entered into an agreement to acquire all rights held by the inventors of this new patent, which aims to enhance the purity of the silicon material produced by the QRR. This invention will potentially increase the purity of HPQ Silicon's silicon from the already impressive 99.92% achieved to 99.992%.

To settle the debt related to the patent, HPQ Silicon will issue 432,000 Units, consisting of one common share and one warrant, to the inventors. This transaction is subject to regulatory approval.

HPQ Silicon's GEN3 QRR pilot plant has achieved a remarkable milestone, producing silicon with a purity exceeding 3N+ (99.92% Si) in a single step. This validation showcases the effectiveness of HPQ Silicon's proprietary PUREVAPTM Quartz Reduction Reactor (QRR) process in modernizing high-purity silicon production while reducing costs. 

The company's partnership with PyroGenesis Canada Inc. has played a vital role in these accomplishments. HPQ Silicon's progress toward a conversion efficiency of 75% and the filing of a new QRR process patent further highlight its commitment to innovation and advancing the silicon industry. With these achievements, HPQ Silicon is poised to revolutionize the production of high-purity silicon for various applications, creating a significant economic advantage and transformative impact in the industry.