Voyageur Pharmaceuticals Ltd (TSX-V:VM, OTC:VYYRF) has brought on VAST Resource Solutions Inc. to advance permitting at its Frances Creek barite project, part of the company’s push to develop a domestic supply of pharmaceutical-grade material in North America.
The company said Monday that British Columbia-based VAST Resource Solutions will prepare and lead the submission of a bulk sample permit application for Frances Creek.
Under the agreement, VAST will oversee site assessments, terrain stability and vegetation studies, sample collection, permit documentation, LiDAR-based site mapping, and environmental management plans, as well as coordinate regulatory engagement.
The engagement is part of advancing Frances Creek toward a full feasibility study, which is expected in 2026, Voyageur said.
The company considers the project a strategic asset in the North American contrast media supply chain due to its pharmaceutical-grade purity and vertically integrated model.
“This engagement is a critical step toward building a secure, vertically integrated supply chain for natural barium sulfate,” said Voyageur CEO Brent Willis.
“By partnering with VAST, we ensure that our application process is rigorous, environmentally responsible, and aligned with regulatory expectations.”
Voyageur, which completed environmental and geotechnical field work at Frances Creek with VAST in 2023, said the project is central to its plan to establish domestic production of pharmaceutical-grade barite and reduce reliance on foreign-sourced materials.