Sunrise Resources Plc (LON:SRES) is to broaden testwork at its pozzolan project in Nevada to include possible perlite production.
Perlite is used as an insulator in paint, plaster, concrete fillers and in soil aeration with its main characteristic that it expands hugely when heated.
Testing on the pozzolan samples from the CS deposit, meanwhile, have indicated it is a high quality natural source of the cement substitute.
Certification testing is now underway with results expected within 45 days.
Patrick Cheetham, Sunrise’s executive chairman, said: “The uniform performance of [pozzolan] samples from across the surface of the deposit is very encouraging.
“The discovery that this same material may also have commercial application as perlite is an unexpected and exciting development that could add substantially to the opportunities to commercialise this project."