Novacium to Present New Black Dross Recycling Process at ENSURE 2025 in Houston

/EIN News/ -- MONTREAL and LYON, France, April 23, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- HPQ Silicon Inc. (“HPQ” or the “Company”) (TSX-V: HPQ, OTCQB: HPQFF, FRA: O08), a technology company developing next-generation processes for advanced material manufacturing, is pleased to announce that its France-based affiliate, NOVACIUM SAS (“Novacium”), has been selected to present at ENSURE 2025, the 3rd International Conference on Environmental Sustainability through Waste and Recycling. The event will take place from April 23–25 in Houston, Texas.

Novacium will showcase its latest research in a talk titled “Closing the Aluminum Loop: An Innovative Process for Black Dross Valorization”, highlighting findings from its Waste-to-Energy (W2E) project.

“This selection marks another recognition of the scientific and industrial value of our research,” said Dr. Jed Kraiem, COO of Novacium. “It validates our contribution to sustainable waste management and energy recovery.”

“We’re proud to see Novacium’s work recognized internationally,” said Bernard Tourillon, President and CEO, HPQ Silicon Inc. “Presenting at ENSURE 2025 highlights the relevance of our shared mission: transforming overlooked industrial byproducts into valuable, sustainable resources. It’s an exciting step forward demonstrating how innovation can drive environmental and economic progress.”

The Conference

Organized by the United Scientific Group (USG), ENSURE 2025 is a high-impact international conference designed to bring together a diverse community of scientists, industry experts, academics, entrepreneurs, and policy makers. The event fosters cross-disciplinary dialogue on emerging technologies, regulatory strategies, and circular economy models driving environmental sustainability. Participants from academia, industry, and government sectors are expected to attend.

The conference addresses a wide range of urgent and future-focused themes, including, but not limited to:

• Waste-to-Energy technologies
• Circular economy and zero waste strategies

Novacium, in partnership with the Laboratory of Automation, Process and Pharmaceutical Engineering (LAGEPP), under the supervision of the University of Lyon 1 and the French National Center for Scientific Research (CNRS), will present its novel hydrometallurgical process developed as part of the W2E project.

This new proprietary process enables the neutralization of black dross, a toxic aluminum recycling byproduct, while producing green hydrogen and recovering a usable solid. By using a low-cost additive under milder pH conditions, the method surpasses traditional technologies in both safety and efficiency. The approach is also highly flexible, adaptable to various dross compositions, and ready for integration into existing recycling infrastructure (See January 28^th, 2025, release).

The research is led and will be presented by Diego Guerrero, a PhD candidate at Université de Lyon 1 and R&D Engineer at Novacium. Diego is a chemical and process engineer specialized in processes for energy and the environment, with a strong academic and research background.

“Black dross is often seen as a waste with limited value. Our work flips that narrative—demonstrating that, with the right approach, it can become a resource for both material recovery and clean energy generation,” said Diego Guerrero, PhD Candidate and R&D Engineer at Novacium. “I’m excited to share our findings at ENSURE 2025 and contribute to the global conversation on sustainable waste solutions.”

About NOVACIUM SAS

Novacium is an HPQ - affiliated company that started in Q3 2022. This green technology startup is based in Lyon, France and is a partnership with HPQ and three of France’s leading research engineers, Dr. Jed KRAIEM PhD, Novacium's Chief Operating Officer (“COO”), Dr. Oleksiy NICHIPORUK PhD, Novacium's Chief Technical Officer (“CTO”), and Dr. Julien DEGOULANGE PhD, Novacium’s Chief Innovation Officer (“CIO”). Novacium is a new Research and Development company which allows researchers to develop their own technology in high-added-value fields connected to renewable energy and allows HPQ Silicon Inc. a Canadian company, to expand the depth and reach of its technical team to help develop its silicon and new renewable energy projects.

About HPQ Silicon

HPQ Silicon Inc. (TSX-V: HPQ) is a Quebec-based TSX Venture Exchange Tier 1 Industrial Issuer.

HPQ is developing, with the support of world-class technology partners PyroGenesis Canada Inc. and NOVACIUM SAS, new green processes crucial to make the critical materials needed to reach net zero emissions.

HPQ activities are centred around the following five (5) pillars:

	1)	Becoming a green low-cost (Capex and Opex) manufacturer of Fumed Silica using the FUMED SILICA REACTOR, a proprietary technology owned by HPQ Silica Polvere Inc being developed for HSPI by PyroGenesis.
	2)	Becoming a producer of silicon-based anode materials for battery applications with the assistance of NOVACIUM SAS.
	3)	HPQ SILICON affiliate NOVACIUM SAS is developing a low carbon, chemical based on demand and high-pressure autonomous hydrogen production system.
	4)	HPQ SILICON affiliate NOVACIUM SAS is developing a new process to transform black aluminium dross into a valuable resource.
	5)	Becoming a zero CO2 low-cost (Capex and Opex) producer of High Purity Silicon (2N+ to 4N) using our PUREVAPTM “Quartz Reduction Reactors” (QRR), a proprietary technology owned by HPQ being developed for HPQ by PyroGenesis.

For more information, please visit HPQ Silicon web site.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Information
This press release contains “forward-looking information” and “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of applicable securities legislation (collectively, “forward-looking statements”), including, but not limited to, statements relating to future financial or operating events or future performance of the Company, and reflecting management’s expectations and assumptions regarding the Company’s growth, results, performance, and business prospects and opportunities. Such forward-looking statements reflect management’s current beliefs and are based on information currently available to it. In some cases, forward-looking statements can be identified by words such as “aim”, “anticipate”, “aspire”, “attempt”, “believe”, “budget”, “could”, “estimate”, “expect”, “forecast”, “intend”, “may”, “mission”, “plan”, “potential”, “predict”, “progress”, “outlook”, “schedule”, “should”, “study”, “target”, “will”, “would” or the negative of these terms or other similar expressions concerning matters that are not historical facts.

In particular, forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, the Company’s and Novacium ability to develop the WASTE TO ENERGY technology, a process that harnesses hydrogen released from black aluminum dross, to provide a reliable WASTE TO ENERGY systems while promoting sustainability and supply chain traceability, and to position its WASTE TO ENERGY operation in the capital markets, the expected results of the initiatives described in this press release, and those statements which are discussed under the “About HPQ Silicon” and “About Novacium” paragraph and elsewhere in the press release which essentially describe the Company’s outlook and objectives.

Additionally, the forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, the Company’s future results, the intended fabrication of the first WASTE TO ENERGY prototype pilot plant, its testing and timeline to commercial scale up, the economic performance and product development efforts, as well as the Company’s expected achievement of milestones, including the ability to conclude an sell agreement and obtain sufficient financing for the future development on favorable terms for the Company.

Further, these forward-looking statements include the Company’s ability to achieve its WASTE TO ENERGY technology strategy and its intended results, market trends, the consumer demand for systems, the Company’s competitive advantages, macroeconomic conditions, the impact of applicable laws and regulations, and any information as to future plans and outlook for the Company are or involve forward-looking statements.

Forward-looking statements are based on estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable by the Company at the time of such statements, are inherently subject to significant business, economic, and competitive uncertainties and contingencies. These estimates and assumptions are not guarantees of future performance and may prove incorrect. These statements rely on various factors, including current technological trends, safe and effective operations, timely delivery and installation of future production equipment at estimated prices, assumed WASTE TO ENERGY technology sale prices, future exchange and interest rates, political and regulatory stability, commodity prices and production costs, the receipt of necessary approvals, licenses, and permits on favorable terms, sustained labor stability, financial and capital market conditions, availability of critical supplies and equipment, tax assumptions, CAPEX and OPEX estimates, economic and operational projections, local infrastructure, and overall business prospects. Forward-looking statements are also subject to risks, uncertainties, and other factors that may cause actual results to differ materially, including the outcome of development, engineering, and planning activities, market conditions, competition, pricing pressures, risks inherent to mining exploration and development, the commercial viability of the Company’s technology, project timelines, business continuity challenges, geopolitical instability, and other industry risks. Additionally, there can be no assurance that the conditions precedent of offtake agreements, product qualification requirements, and commercial operations will be met, nor that the Company will fulfill the expectations of financing partners and certifying bodies.

Forward-looking statements are subject to known or unknown risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated or implied in the forward-looking statements. Risk factors that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from current expectations include, among others, delays in the scheduled delivery times of the equipment, the ability of the Company to successfully implement its strategic initiatives and whether such strategic initiatives will yield the expected benefits, the availability of financing or financing on favorable terms for the Company, the dependence on commodity prices, the impact of inflation on costs, the risks of obtaining the necessary permits, the operating performance of the Company’s assets and businesses, competitive factors in the graphite mining and production industry, changes in laws and regulations affecting the Company’s businesses, political and social acceptability risk, environmental regulation risk, currency and exchange rate risk, technological developments, as well as earnings, capital expenditure, cash flow and capital structure risks and general business risks. A further description of risks and uncertainties can be found in HPQ’s Annual Information Form dated March 21, 2025, including in the section thereof captioned “Risk Factors”, which is available on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca Unpredictable or unknown factors not discussed in this Cautionary Note could also have material adverse effects on forward-looking statements.

Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that may cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Forward-looking statements are provided for the purpose of providing information about management’s expectations and plans relating to the future. The Company disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements or to explain any material difference between subsequent actual events and such forward-looking statements, except to the extent required by applicable law.

Market and industry data presented throughout this press release was obtained from third-party sources and industry reports, publications, websites and other publicly available information, as well as industry and other data prepared by the Company or on the behalf of the Company based on the Company’s knowledge of the markets in which the Company operates, including information provided by suppliers, partners, customers and other industry participants.

The Company believes that the market and economic data presented throughout this press release is accurate as of the date of publication and, with respect to data prepared by the Company or on behalf of the Company, that estimates and assumptions are currently appropriate and reasonable, but there can be no assurance as to the accuracy or completeness thereof. The accuracy and completeness of the market and economic data presented throughout this press release are not guaranteed and the Company does not make any representation as to the accuracy of such data.

Actual outcomes may vary materially from those forecast in such reports or publications, and the prospect for material variation can be expected to increase as the length of the forecast period increases. Although the Company believes it to be reliable as of the date of publication, the Company has not independently verified any of the data from third-party sources referred to in this press release, analyzed or verified the underlying studies or surveys relied upon or referred to by such sources, or ascertained the underlying market, economic and other assumptions relied upon by such sources. Market and economic data are subject to variations and cannot be verified due to limits on the availability and reliability of data inputs, the voluntary nature of the data gathering process and other limitations and uncertainties inherent in any statistical survey.

Further information regarding the Company is available in the SEDAR+ database (www.sedarplus.ca), and on the Company’s website at: www.hpqsilicon.com

Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.

This News Release is available on the company's CEO Verified Discussion Forum, a moderated social media platform that enables civilized discussion and Q&A between Management and Shareholders. 

Source: HPQ Silicon Inc.

For further information contact:

Bernard J. Tourillon, Chairman, President, and CEO Tel +1 (514) 846-3271
Email: Info@hpqsilicon.com