PyroGenesis Announces Milestone Reached for Fumed Silica Reactor Project

Pilot Plant Construction Commences with Anticipated Q2 2024 Commissioning

MONTREAL, Feb. 06, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- PyroGenesis Canada Inc. (http://pyrogenesis.com) (TSX: PYR) (OTCQX: PYRGF) (FRA: 8PY), a high-tech company (the “Company” or “PyroGenesis”) that designs, develops, manufactures and commercializes advanced plasma processes and sustainable solutions which are geared to reduce greenhouse gases (GHG) and address environmental pollutants, is pleased to announce that, further to HPQ Silicon Inc’s (“HPQ” or the “Client”) press release dated today, and the Company’s own news releases dated November 9, 2023 and January 11, 2024, the next milestone for pilot plant development has been reached.

The Fumed Silica Reactor (FSR) technology project is being conducted in conjunction with HPQ Silica Polvere Inc. (“HPQ Polvere”), a wholly owned subsidiary of HPQ. With the engineering design having concluded, major fabrication ending, and all additional peripheral materials having been ordered, the 50 tonnes per year (TPY) FSR pilot plant is now entering the construction phase.

The FSR pilot plant will be constructed within a dedicated space inside PyroGenesis’ facilities, with a custom-designed infrastructure that meets the pilot plant’s unique ventilation, safety, and access requirements. A 4,000 sq ft facility with a 30-foot height allowance has been allocated to house the pilot plant, which itself has an approximate layout footprint of 50ft by 30ft.

Fumed silica is a moisture-absorbing white microstructure powder with high surface area and low bulk density. Used most often as a thickening agent, anti-caking agent, and stabilizer to improve the texture and consistency of products, the commercial applications of fumed silica can be found in many industries across thousands of product lines, including – but not limited to – personal care, powdered food, pharmaceuticals, agriculture (food & feed), adhesives, paints, sealants, construction, batteries and automotive.

The FSR converts quartz into fumed silica (also known as Pyrogenic Silica) in a single and eco-friendly step while eliminating the use of harmful chemicals generated by conventional methods.^[2] The FSR, if successful, could provide a groundbreaking contribution to the repatriation of silica production to North America.

The FSR pilot plant is being developed by PyroGenesis with a 50 tonne per year output capacity. In addition, recent results (refer to the Company’s news release dated January 11, 2024) from an internal economic and technical study, which was carried out at the request of a third-party who requested confidentiality, confirmed the viability of, and advantages from, the eventual scale up to a 1,000 tonne per year commercial configuration. These advantages included potential EBIDTA margins three times higher than the industry average of 20%, and a capital investment 93% less than that required for building a conventional fumed silica plant.^[1]