Business
Vertical Exploration Enters into an LOI With AREV Brands International Ltd. for Wollastonite Distribution to the Cannabis and Hemp Industries
VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / September 12, 2019 / VERTICAL EXPLORATION INC. (TSX-V:VERT) ("...
About this update from Vertical Exploration Inc.
[{"type":"text","content":"Vertical Exploration Enters into an LOI With AREV Brands International Ltd. for Wollastonite Distribution to the Cannabis and Hemp IndustriesVANCOUVER, BC / ACCESSWIRE / September 12, 2019 / VERTICAL EXPLORATION INC. (TSX-V:VERT) (\"Vertical\" or \"the Company\") and AREV BRANDS INTERNATIONAL LTD. (AREV) (“AREV Brands”) are pleased to announce that the two companies have entered into a non-binding Letter of Intent (LOI) to partner on the distribution of Vertical’s wollastonite from its world-class St-Onge Deposit in order to supply the fast growing cannabis and hemp industries.Under the terms of the non-binding LOI, Vertical will enter into a Distribution Agreement with AREV Brands, whereby Vertical will supply its St-Onge wollastonite to AREV Brands for direct distribution to both small-scale craft growing operations and potentially larger-scale Health Canada approved companies directly involved in growing and processing cannabis and hemp.Vertical’s high quality wollastonite has been shown to be beneficial to cannabis plants in a variety of ways. In February 2019, Vertical announced the successful completion of Phase Three trials involving cannabis grown with wollastonite (CaSiO3) as a soil additive at BC Bud Depot’s (BCBD) ACMPR-licenced Research and Development facilities in Vancouver, BC. In the Phase Three trials BCBD measured and recorded significant improvements in root mass, powdery mildew control and pest elimination. In every case the most optimal results occurred with an admixture rate of 10% to 15% wollastonite to the growth medium. Most notably, powdery mildew, the most common fungal blight to affect Cannabis sativa, was virtually undetectable with wollastonite admixture above 10%. An admixture above 10% wollastonite also correlated with sharp reductions in the presence of thrips and fungus gnats, insect pests with a sub-soil life phase in which the wollastonite crystals lacerate and impale their soft bodies. At a microscopic level, wollastonite’s needle-like structure penetrates soft-bodied insect larvae and pupae, interrupting the life cycle without the use of pesticides. Wollastonite’s unique properties also allow it to break down into calcium, magnesium and silicon in a highly bio-available form that balances soil PH throughout the growth cycle - this allows the c...