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Highlights
- VRX Silica has received confirmation from the WA Environment Minister that the EPA’s assessment of its Arrowsmith North Silica Sand Project was adequate and consistent with policy requirements.
- As a result, the project will not require any further EPA assessment and now awaits formal Ministerial approval to proceed.
- An appeal against the EPA’s recommendations was partially upheld, leading to minor amendments related to dieback management, which VRX has accepted.
- The Arrowsmith North Project hosts 221Mt of high-quality silica sand reserves
VRX Silica Limited (ASX:VRX) has reached a major environmental milestone for its Arrowsmith North Silica Sand Project in Western Australia.
The Hon Matthew Swinbourn MLC, Western Australia’s Minister for the Environment, has determined that the Environmental Protection Authority's (EPA) assessment of the project was adequate and consistent with policy frameworks. With this development, the project can now proceed without requiring further EPA assessment.
This development comes after an appeal was lodged earlier this year challenging the EPA’s report and recommendations, which had supported the conditional implementation of the project’s development proposal.
Background of the Appeal
In January 2025, an appeal was submitted to the Office of the Appeals Convenor (OAC), prompting a formal review process. The OAC completed its investigation and submitted its report to the Minister in May 2025.
After reviewing submissions from all related parties, including the EPA, the appellant, VRX Silica, and the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions, the Minister allowed the appeal in part.
The final determination includes a recommendation from the OAC to amend environmental conditions related to dieback management. VRX had previously reviewed and accepted the proposed amendments.
Following this determination, VRX Silica now awaits formal Ministerial approval to advance the project toward development.
About Arrowsmith North
Arrowsmith North hosts a significant deposit of high-grade silica sand, targeting demand in the Asian foundry, container glass, and flat-glass industries. The project has a JORC-compliant Proved and Probable Ore Reserve of 221 million tonnes at 99.5% SiO₂ and is expected to produce over 2 million tonnes of silica sand annually.
VRX Shares Rally
Following this update, VRX share price jumped over 36% to AUD 0.095 per share at the time of writing on 26 June 2025.
