TSX-V-listed Arianne Phosphate has shipped samples of purified phosphoric acid (PPA) to potential customers for testing.

The samples were produced at pilot scale from the Lac à Paul project, in Québec's Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean region, where the company combined its high-purity, low-containment phosphate concentrate with Travertine Technologies' proprietary process for producing PPA.

Internal testing of the PPA produced met specifications required for the product’s use in various technical applications including lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries.

Following this milestone, samples have now been sent to potential customers for their assessment. These first samples of PPA were sent to companies covering three separate industries: a cathode active material producer for ultimate use in LFP batteries, a diversified industrial chemicals producer that uses PPA for water treatment and pulp and paper applications and a specialised liquid fertiliser producer.

The testing that will be performed is the first step in the qualification process required to secure commercial contracts for the product.

“With demand running high for new sources of PPA, there was a lot of interest in receiving our samples,” says Arianne strategic and business initiatives head Brian Ostroff.

“Surging demand from newer applications such as the LFP, coupled with the existing demands from the pharmaceutical, agricultural, electronics and food industries have made the procurement of PPA vital. Simultaneously, geopolitical tensions have squeezed access to important materials and caused a re-think of traditional supply chains.

"Arianne currently has the only permitted phosphate mine in the West and understands how strategically important its development is. To that end, we continue to make significant progress with groups like Travertine and other ‘like-minded’ government, corporate and financial partners to advance the development of our Lac à Paul project," Ostroff states.

By sending samples to companies in diverse industries, the Arianne-Travertine partnership can demonstrate its ability to address supply concerns that are affecting many businesses.

Further, these companies are North America-based and looking for Western-sourced materials.

Concurrent with the testing of the PPA that will be occurring over the coming weeks, the partners will be advancing work towards a demonstration plant that will be able to produce greater quantities of material for additional companies to work with.

Ultimately, Arianne is looking to provide the West with the PPA it needs to meet growing demand and, can do so from geopolitically-advantaged Canada.

“PPA is a critical commodity with fast-growing demand outpacing global production. Our proprietary sulphur, solvent-free process produces high-purity phosphoric acid but with a lower cost and a much smaller environmental impact. Canada holds a wealth of strategically critical phosphate resources yet has not mined phosphate since 2013 nor produced downstream phosphate products since 2019.

"We believe Arianne is best positioned to fill this void with its Lac à Paul deposit. In partnership, Travertine and Arianne will advance Canadian phosphate production in a way that best respects and protects Canada’s uniquely pristine natural environment while addressing the West’s urgent needs for purified acid," says Travertine CEO Laura Lammers.