Vertical Exploration Further Outlines How Its Wollastonite May Help Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Improve Agricultural Lands

VANCOUVER, BC / March 2nd, 2021 / VERTICAL EXPLORATION INC. (TSX-V: VERT) (“Vertical” or “the Company”) would like to provide further information, as originally outlined in the Company’s February 25th, 2021 news release, regarding how wollastonite can serve as a carbon sink and help reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions on agricultural land.

The world agricultural fertilizer industry is on a continual evolution and treadmill – as population rises demand is placed on fertilizers to boost crop-yields even further, yet at the same time societal pressures require that the agriculture industry becomes more environmentally sustainable every day. Even the application of natural agricultural lime, which has been used for decades to increase soil pH (reduce acidity) and improve growing conditions for farm fields, gardens and lawns, contributes to CO2 emissions in Canada and the USA annually.

Research is therefore underway throughout the world and in Canada that aims to locate fertilizers that enable negative carbon emissions in the agricultural sector, through the mitigation of greenhouse gases with innovative-engineered soil amendments that can be deployed on a large scale. Research teams are currently studying soil amendments that will provide the same fertility value of traditional fertilizers, but more efficiently with the added benefits of soil carbon sequestration.

One such research effort involves University of Guelph engineers, Dr. Emily YW Chiang (Ph.D, P.Eng) and Dr. Rafael Santos (Ph.D, P.Eng), who along with their team have recently identified that the calcium-silicate mineral wollastonite could help to reduce atmospheric CO2. Namely, wollastonite can “aid in a process called mineral carbon sequestration. Carbon sequestration is where atmospheric CO2 is captured through a chemical reaction and stored in the soil.” Dr. Chiang’s and Dr. Santos research work was released in a June 2020 (Volume 97) summary article in the International Journal of Greenhouse Gas Control.

The June 2020 article goes on to report that “Chiang’s work represents the first experimental research on wollastonite’s potential for carbon sequestration in a field setting. To understand the impact of wollastonite on carbon capture within a variety of agricultural settings, the team conducted experiments on three commercial farms in Ontario: a soybean farm, a vegetable farm, and a potato farm. The different sites varied in how much wollastonite was used and for how long. The team gathered soil samples and detected the carbon content analytically and estimated the level of CO2 sequestration by using a mathematical equation.

Chiang and her team found that the CO2 content in the soils was higher when wollastonite was used. Moreover, CO2 content was highest when wollastonite had been applied to soils over several consecutive years. Not only that, but the farmers also noticed improvements in their crops that grew from the soils where wollastonite was used. “Wollastonite releases calcium and other micronutrients into the soil when it reacts with the dissolved CO2. In that way it may also improve soil fertility,” explains Chiang. “The results of this research offer convincing evidence for field producers to use wollastonite on their lands, and thus contribute to global climate change mitigation while enhancing crop quality.”

Peter P. Swistak, President/CEO of Vertical Exploration Inc., commented: “The excellent GHG emission study released in the past year by the independent University of Guelph team, combined with the recent agricultural research report completed for us by AGRINOVA in Quebec, points to a very bright future for our St-Onge wollastonite. We believe the market appeal and acceptance of wollastonite as a natural agricultural amendment is growing quickly, as more science based studies conducted by reputable organizations and research centres confirm its numerous benefits. The world is moving towards environmentally sound options at a rapid pace, and Vertical is perfectly placed to be a part of this greener agriculture and food future”.

ABOUT VERTICAL EXPLORATION
Vertical Exploration’s mission is to identify, acquire, and advance high potential mining prospects located in North America for the benefit of its stakeholders. The Company’s flagship St-Onge Wollastonite property is located in the Lac-Saint-Jean area in the Province of Quebec.

ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD
Peter P. Swistak, President/CEO

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT:
Telephone: 1-604-683-3995
Toll Free: 1-888-945-4770

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.

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS: This news release contains forward-looking statements, which relate to future events or future performance and reflect management’s current expectations and assumptions. Such forward-looking statements reflect management’s current beliefs and are based on assumptions made by and information currently available to the Company. Investors are cautioned that these forward-looking statements are neither promises nor guarantees, and are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause future results to differ materially from those expected. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date hereof and, except as required under applicable securities legislation, the Company does not assume any obligation to update or revise them to reflect new events or circumstances. All of the forward-looking statements made in this press release are qualified by these cautionary statements and by those made in our filings with SEDAR in Canada (available at www.sedar.com).