08:08 AM EDT, 09/27/2024 (MT Newswires) -- HPQ Silicon ( HPQFF ) said Friday that PyroGenesis Canada ( PYRGF ) completed the commissioning of a pilot plant that uses HPQ's proprietary Fumed Silica Reactor (FSR) process.

HPQ said the milestone was achieved after the completion of the FSR hot blank test.

"With the pilot plant now ready to produce materials, we are one step closer to providing sample materials for external testing while showcasing the remarkable potential of our FSR technology," HPQ President and CEO Bernard Tourillon said. "We are highly confident that the next steps in the program will be completed successfully.

By the first quarter of 2025, HPQ said PyroGenesis will focus on optimizing the pilot plant to produce food- and pharma-grade fumed silica with surface areas of 300 m2/g.

HPQ's share price fell 5.1% yesterday to $0.37 on the TSXV.