Sio Silica

What Sio Silica does

Sio Silica Corporation is a Canadian mining and mineral processing company headquartered in Winnipeg, Manitoba, with an additional corporate office in Calgary, Alberta. Founded in 2018 as CanWhite Sands Corp. and rebranded to Sio Silica Corporation in January 2022, the company is developing the largest known high purity quartz silica deposit in Canada — 15 billion tonnes in-situ with 540 million tonnes recoverable across 459 mining claims covering more than 100,000 hectares. Its core technology is a patent-pending borehole extraction process that uses only air pressure to recover high purity silica sand below surface, eliminating chemicals, surface mining, tunnels, trucks, and dust, while returning water to the aquifer with near-net-zero impact.

Sio produces three core product categories: raw quartz exceeding 99.85% purity pre-processing, processed silica exceeding 99.9% purity post-processing (up to 99.999% in laboratory conditions), and low iron silica with less than 100 ppm iron content for photovoltaic and display-grade applications. Processed products feed semiconductors, solar cells, fiber optics, lithium-ion batteries, specialty and optical glass, foundry castings, aerospace components, and medical devices. Distribution runs through the Winnipeg inland port with direct CN main rail line access and connections to CP and BNSF, supporting bulk and specialty super-sack shipments to North American, Pacific Rim, European, and South American markets.

The business model is B2B enterprise field sales of bulk industrial mineral products with quote-based pricing and no public rate card. Revenue mechanics are volume-driven against multi-generational reserve; current state is pre-revenue development with the company advancing through regulatory reviews (Clean Environment Commission, Indigenous environmental reviews with Long Plain First Nation and Peguis) and pursuing a public listing via a SPAC merger with Pyrophyte Acquisition Corp (NYSE: PHYT) announced November 2023. Strategic R&D partnerships with the University of Manitoba extend the product roadmap into battery-grade silicon and quantum-enabled groundwater monitoring.

Name

Sio Silica

Legal name

Sio Silica Corporation

Website

https://siosilica.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2018

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Sio Silica Corporation is a Canadian mining and processing company extracting and selling high purity quartz silica (99.9%+ purity) from its Manitoba deposit for use in semiconductors, solar cells, fiber optics, electronics, and advanced manufacturing.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industrial Silica Mining

NAICS

Industrial Sand Mining (212322), Ground or Treated Mineral and Earth Manufacturing (327992), Nonmetallic Mineral Mining and Quarrying (2123)

SIC

Mining & Quarrying Of Nonmetallic Minerals (No Fuels) (1400), Abrasive, Asbestos & Misc Nonmetallic Mineral Prods (3290)

akta.pro primary industry

Silica & Quartz Mining (Industrial Silica Sand, High-Purity Quartz) (IMAKAGAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Industrial Sand (Silica Sand for Foundry, Glass & Industrial Uses) (IMAKAHAK), Silica (Quartz, Fumed, Precipitated) (IMAEAFAD)

Keywords

• High purity silica
• Quartz silica mining
• Borehole extraction
• Silica processing
• Critical minerals supply

Headquarters

HQ city

Calgary

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Personnel

Revenue model

1. High Purity Silica Sand Sales: Extraction and sale of high purity quartz silica sand for use in advanced manufacturing. Primary revenue from selling raw and processed silica products to industrial buyers in semiconductors, solar, electronics, and specialty glass industries.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Sio Silica extracts and processes high purity quartz silica sand from its Manitoba deposit using a proprietary patent-pending borehole mining technique that uses only air pressure. The company sells raw quartz (99.85%+ purity), processed silica sand (99.9%+ purity), and low iron silica (<100 ppm iron) to industrial manufacturers in semiconductors, solar energy, electronics, fiber optics, lithium-ion batteries, specialty glass, and aerospace sectors.

Product overview

Sio Silica operates as a high purity silica mining and processing company, extracting and processing quartz silica from its substantial Manitoba deposit. The company offers three main product categories: raw quartz (99.85%+ purity pre-processing), processed silica (99.9%+ purity post-processing), and low iron silica (<100 ppm iron content for specialized applications). These products serve as critical inputs for renewable energy, electronics, semiconductors, and advanced manufacturing industries worldwide.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Raw Quartz Raw quartz extracted from Sio's Manitoba deposit, consistently exceeding 99.85% purity before processing, with over 98% of quartz falling within the +40/-140 mesh size distribution. Used for high-tech and industrial applications.
• Processed Silica Sand Processed silica exceeding 99.9%+ purity after processing, serving as a key input product for renewable energy products, high-grade glass, and electronics manufacturing.
• Low Iron Silica High purity silica with less than 100 ppm iron content, achieved through simple wash and beneficiation. Required for manufacturing photovoltaic cells (solar panels), smart glass, and touch screen display technology due to increased light transmissivity.

Quantifiable outcome

• 99.9%+ purity processed silica, up to 99.999% in laboratory conditions
• +3 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered major and core.

• International Partnerships (Canada's Critical Minerals Resilience and Production Alliance)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 17 June 2026Strategic partnerships and collaborative initiatives designed to reinforce Canada's position as a global leader in critical minerals and advanced manufacturing strategy.
• University of Manitoba - Department of ChemistrycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 2 March 2026Partnership with University of Manitoba chemistry department for ongoing research into Mechanochemical Single-Step Synthesis of Silicon Battery Materials from Silica.
• University of ManitobacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 February 2026Partnership to conduct feasibility study and experimental design for Quantum Gravimetry Enabled Groundwater Monitoring in Manitoba.
• Long Plain First NationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 31 October 2025Memorandum of Understanding with Long Plain First Nation to lead an Indigenous environmental review of the company's proposed silica extraction project in southeastern Manitoba.
• Peguis Consultation & Special Projects Inc.coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 3 February 2025Memorandum of Understanding between Sio Silica, Peguis Consultation & Special Projects Inc., and AECOM Canada Ltd. for collaborative Indigenous engagement and environmental review processes.
• Pyrophyte Acquisition Corp.coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 13 November 2023Merger agreement for Sio Silica to go public via SPAC merger with Pyrophyte Acquisition Corp (NYSE: PHYT). The merger will accelerate Sio's mission to deliver new standards of ultra-high purity quartz silica as a critical mineral for net zero transition.
• AECOM Canada Ltd.coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 13 October 2023MOU with AECOM Canada Ltd. for independent review of environmental impact and engineering oversight. AECOM has conducted extensive environmental reviews of the project.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Minerals Technologies Inc. Global specialty minerals company whose Performance Materials segment produces bentonite, ground calcium carbonate, and specialty silica products for industrial and consumer applications. Comparable in supplying mineral-based functional fillers and processed silica to industrial customers, though as one part of a much broader diversified portfolio.
• Sibelco: Global industrial minerals group producing silica, nepheline syenite, feldspar, and ball clays for glass, ceramics, and specialty applications. Comparable in product category and end markets, with broader portfolio and global logistics that gives it scale advantages over Sio in non-North-American markets.
• Imerys: French-listed global specialty minerals leader with high-purity quartz, fused silica, and other performance mineral product lines serving solar, electronics, and refractory customers. Comparable in serving the same high-purity silica end markets as Sio, but as one segment within a much broader industrial minerals portfolio.

Direct peers

• U.S. Silica Holdings: One of the largest North American producers of industrial silica sand with a broad portfolio spanning oil and gas, glass, building products, and specialty end markets. Directly comparable to Sio in product category, customer base, and B2B bulk-supply model, with a much larger operational footprint and established customer relationships.
• The Quartz Corp: Joint venture between Imerys and Norsk Mineral producing high-purity quartz for solar, semiconductor, lighting, and optical applications. Directly comparable as a high-purity quartz producer targeting the same advanced-manufacturing customers Sio targets, with established offtake into solar PV and electronics.
• Covia Holdings: Major North American industrial minerals producer formed from the merger of Unimin and Fairmount Santrol, supplying high-purity silica for foundry, glass, ceramics, and filtration. Directly comparable to Sio across product mix, end markets, and bulk logistics model, though Covia serves a wider customer base.
• Badger Mining Corporation: Family-owned US industrial silica producer serving foundry, glass, building products, and filtration end markets with proprietary processing capabilities. Comparable in product focus and B2B bulk-supply model, though primarily serving US industrial customers rather than high-purity advanced manufacturing.
• Premier Silica: US-based producer of high-quality industrial silica sand with operations in Texas targeting frac sand, foundry, glass, and specialty end markets. Comparable as a regional industrial silica miner with a similar B2B sales model, but smaller scale and focused on oilfield rather than advanced-manufacturing end markets.

Regional players

• Quarzwerke Group: European family-owned producer of high-purity quartz, silica flour, and fumed silica serving glass, foundry, electronics, and construction end markets. Comparable in product category and high-purity focus, but operating primarily in Europe rather than competing directly with Sio in North America.

Emerging players

• HPQ Silicon: Canadian-listed developer focused on producing high-purity silicon and silica-based materials for batteries, solar, and electronics using novel processes. Comparable as an early-stage, tech-led Canadian player targeting the same advanced-manufacturing end markets and emphasizing process innovation similar to Sio's borehole technology.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Sio Silica