Vertical Explora Stock Price, News & Analysis

Vertical Exploration Inc. (TSXV: VERT, OTC: CVVRF) is a mining company in the All Other Metal Ore Mining industry within the broader Mining, Quarrying, and Oil and Gas Extraction sector. According to the company, its mission is to identify, acquire, and advance high potential mining prospects located in North America for the benefit of its stakeholders. Vertical’s activities are centered on the exploration, development, and commercialization of mineral resources.

The company’s flagship asset is its St-Onge wollastonite property, a premium-grade wollastonite deposit located in the Lac-Saint-Jean area in the Province of Quebec. Vertical describes this deposit as a key focus of its operations, and it has invested in quarry development, infrastructure, and product testing to advance St-Onge from exploration toward commercial production and sales.

Focus on Wollastonite and Agricultural Applications

Vertical Exploration produces and markets a branded Global Wollastonite Agricultural Calcium Silicate product from its St-Onge quarry. The company reports that this product has received a five-year permit from the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) under the Federal Fertilizers Act and Regulations. Vertical notes that this CFIA approval, together with previous OMRI and Ecocert certifications referenced in its news releases, enables it to sell Global Wollastonite for agricultural applications.

In its public communications, Vertical highlights wollastonite as a natural soil enhancer that delivers plant-available silicon and calcium. The company states that these nutrients can strengthen crops, support yields, and improve resistance to pests, disease, and environmental stress. It also notes wollastonite’s mild liming effect and its role in helping to neutralize acidic soils, improve soil structure and water retention, and support root development. Vertical characterizes wollastonite as safe, non-toxic, and environmentally friendly, and indicates that it can support carbon sequestration in agricultural contexts.

St-Onge Quarry and Product Development

Vertical’s St-Onge wollastonite quarry in the Lac-Saint-Jean region of Quebec is the source of its Global Wollastonite products. The company reports that it has been working with mining operations partner Magnor Exploration to invest in quarry infrastructure and site improvements, including specialized screening and crushing equipment, road and perimeter upgrades, and environmental features such as a settling pond. These efforts are described as positioning the site for growth in operations and sales.

Beyond raw material extraction, Vertical has emphasized research, testing, and product development. It has entered into a Strategic Alliance and subsequent Non-Disclosure Agreement with Mineraux Mart Inc. to research, test, and develop specialized industrial and agricultural products using its premium-grade wollastonite. Vertical has delivered bulk shipments of St-Onge wollastonite to Mineraux Mart for this purpose and reports ongoing testing and collaboration aimed at developing high-value products for emerging industrial and agricultural markets.

Partnerships, Alliances, and Market Opportunities

Vertical Exploration has disclosed several partnerships and collaborative efforts around its wollastonite. In addition to its alliance with Mineraux Mart, the company reports that it has been in discussions with a major European firm interested in developing value-added products for niche industrial applications using St-Onge wollastonite. According to the company, this collaboration involves rigorous sampling, testing, and the development of methodologies and protocols for potential industrial products intended for European and other international markets.

Vertical has also signed an exclusivity agreement with an international entity focused on exploring enhanced rock weathering (ERW)-based carbon removal applications for its St-Onge deposit. The company states that this agreement is limited to ERW-focused carbon removal and that, due to confidentiality, the entity remains unnamed unless and until a formal agreement is reached. Vertical notes that this exclusivity does not affect other discussions regarding different applications for its wollastonite.

Wollastonite Properties and Environmental Angle

In its news releases, Vertical describes wollastonite as a mineral with properties that make it suitable for both agricultural improvement and carbon-related applications. The company notes that when wollastonite weathers, it releases calcium, magnesium, and silicon, along with other nutrients, into the soil. Vertical states that this can result in higher crop yields, increased pest resistance, and improved soil pH, particularly in nutrient-deficient or acidic soils.

The company also highlights wollastonite’s potential role in carbon capture and permanent storage of atmospheric CO2 through enhanced rock weathering. According to Vertical, wollastonite can absorb CO2 more rapidly than comparable silicate minerals, which underpins its interest in ERW-focused carbon removal collaborations.

Certifications and Regulatory Framework

Vertical reports that its Global Wollastonite Agricultural Calcium Silicate product has obtained multiple third-party approvals. The company notes that it has received CFIA certification under the Federal Fertilizers Act and Regulations, which require products to be assessed for safety with respect to plant, animal, and human health and the environment, and to be properly labeled. Vertical states that this CFIA approval, combined with OMRI and Ecocert organic certifications referenced in its prior news releases, confirms that its product meets stringent organic and agricultural standards and can be used as an input in organic agriculture.

The company has also indicated that its product and quarry operations have undergone independent reviews and extensive laboratory analysis at Canadian laboratories, with results showing low levels of heavy metals and high levels of plant-available calcium and silica, as described in its shareholder updates.

Research and Field Trials

Vertical has engaged in research collaborations to evaluate agricultural and environmental uses of its wollastonite. It reports ongoing work with Agrinova (Centre for Research and Innovation for Agriculture in Quebec) under an NSERC RDA project focused on experimenting with agricultural, forestry, and environmental applications of new wollastonite-based products. According to the company, field trials have included crops such as oats, barley, potatoes, grass forage, black spruce seedlings, and maple trees in the Lac-Saint-Jean and Saguenay regions, with treatments comparing wollastonite, other amendments, and conventional fertilizers.

These trials are described by Vertical as a way to assess wollastonite’s impact as a liming agent and crop supplement in nutrient-deficient contexts, and to inform future experiments and product development plans.

Commercialization and Offtake Agreements

Vertical has begun to report early commercial activity for its Global Wollastonite product. The company states that it has finalized an initial offtake sales agreement with a local Lac-Saint-Jean farmer and entrepreneur for the purchase of up to 69 tonnes of wollastonite from the St-Onge quarry. The agreement, as described by Vertical, includes an option for the buyer to purchase additional quantities under similar terms if the initial volume is sold within the first year.

According to the company, the buyer will also support further research into new product applications and promote Vertical’s wollastonite to agricultural producers in the Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean region, without exclusivity obligations on Vertical’s part. Vertical notes that it has received numerous inquiries and local interest from potential buyers, end users, and distributors, and that potential market demand from farmers and agricultural producers in the region could exceed the production level it is permitted for at St-Onge, based on prior internal and third-party reports referenced in its news releases.

Capital Markets and Corporate Actions

Vertical Exploration is listed on the TSX Venture Exchange under the symbol VERT. The company has announced several corporate and financing activities in its public disclosures, including non-brokered private placements intended to fund advancement of the St-Onge project, research and development, and general working capital. It has also reported grants of stock options to directors, officers, and consultants under its stock option plan.

These actions, as described by the company, are part of its efforts to support ongoing exploration, development, and commercialization work at its flagship wollastonite property and to pursue partnerships and market opportunities in both agricultural and industrial sectors.

Geographic Focus

Vertical’s stated geographic focus is North America, with its principal asset located in Quebec, Canada. The company also reports engagement with international partners, including a major European firm and an unnamed international entity, in connection with potential industrial products and carbon removal applications for its wollastonite.

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