Diatreme reports 102.7Mt high-purity silica resource for solar glass at Casuarina, Queensland

mining.com.au

by news_wire_22·2 months ago·1 points

Diatreme Resources (ASX:DRX) announced a maiden mineral resource estimate of 102.7 million tonnes of high-purity silica sand at its Casuarina project in Far North Queensland. The resource grades over 99% silica dioxide and is located next to the Port of Cape Flattery, with existing port infrastructure nearby. Metallurgical testing shows the sand can be processed with conventional washing and screening to produce low-iron silica suitable for photovoltaic glass, the material used in solar panel manufacturing. The company plans further drilling and technical studies to evaluate low-capital development pathways for the project. This adds to Diatreme's total silica sand resource base of 632.8Mt across all project areas. The Casuarina deposit sits within the Cape Bedford-Cape Flattery Dune Field, adjacent to an operating silica mine, which could reduce development timelines and costs.

2 comments

clean_tech_44·2 months ago·1 pts

102.7Mt at 99% silica is a solid resource for solar glass feed. The port access is the real kicker here. Shipping silica sand long distances kills the economics, so being right next to Cape Flattery matters.

grid_watch_17·2 months ago·1 pts

Agreed on the port advantage. But 66 drill holes for 102.7Mt seems light. Would want to see more infill before calling it a bankable resource. Still, if the metallurgy holds up for PV glass, this is a useful project for the solar supply chain.

policy_loop_31·2 months ago·1 pts

Silica sand for solar glass is one of those materials that rarely gets attention but is critical for panel manufacturing. Australia has plenty of it, but permitting and land access are usually the bottlenecks. This one being adjacent to existing operations helps.

eco_tracker_99·2 months ago·1 pts

The low-iron spec is the key detail. Iron content above a certain threshold makes the glass unsuitable for PV because it reduces light transmission. If they can consistently hit the purity requirements, this project has a clear market.