Toronto, ON – August 24, 2025 — The Critical Minerals Institute (CMI) today announced the next session in its acclaimed Masterclass series, CMI Masterclass: Silicon’s Strategic Trajectory—From High-Purity Silica to Semiconductors & National Security, set for Thursday, August 28, 2025, 4:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. EST. The live, one-hour program will spotlight silicon’s ascent as a critical mineral underpinning renewable-energy infrastructure, advanced semiconductors, and modern defense systems. Silicon (refined from high-purity silica sand) is among the 24 indispensable materials on the CMI Critical Minerals Watchlist 2025, underscoring its strategic importance in allied supply chains.
CMI Masterclass Program Highlights
Moderator
- Jack Lifton, Co-Chair, Critical Minerals Institute (CMI) — globally recognized as the top critical minerals and allied supply-chain security expert.
Featured Speakers
- Feisal Somji, Founder & CEO, Sio Silica Corporation — a 25-year mining veteran developing Manitoba’s 15-billion-tonne, ultra-high-purity silica deposit to anchor low-carbon North American supply for semiconductors, solar glass, and fiber optics.
- Brian Leeners, CEO & Director, Homerun Resources Inc. (TSXV: HMR | OTCQB: HMRFF) — an entrepreneur building a vertically integrated, high-purity silica and advanced-materials platform in Brazil to challenge China’s global dominance in solar and energy storage.
Thought-Leader Perspectives
“Silicon is the quiet workhorse of modern civilization—it runs the world’s data centers by day and guides its missiles by night. Canada and Brazil possess the grade, scale, and governance standards that make them the obvious partners for the United States to de-risk its silicon supply chain. Moderating this Masterclass will show how allied collaboration can solve America’s most pressing critical mineral bottlenecks.” — Jack Lifton, Co-Chair, Critical Minerals Institute (CMI)
“Our Winnipeg-area resource can produce some of the world’s cleanest quartz. Processing it in-province with renewable hydroelectricity slashes the carbon footprint of every solar panel or silicon wafer downstream. That’s sustainability you can audit, not just aspire to.” — Feisal Somji, CEO, Sio Silica Corporation
“From solar glass to silicon carbide, Homerun is pioneering technology to make solar glass and battery-grade silicon carbide without the coal-intensive steps that dominate Chinese production. Clean energy starts with clean inputs, and Brazil’s renewable grid lets us deliver solar and battery materials solutions that are both cost-competitive and ESG-superior.” — Brian Leeners, CEO, Homerun Resources Inc.
Together, Lifton, Somji, and Leeners will explore how resource development, process innovation, and geopolitics intersect—and why investors who grasp this new silica to silicon paradigm can gain a decisive edge.
Event Details
- Title: CMI Masterclass – Silicon: From Solar to Security
- Date / Time: Thursday, August 28, 2025 · 4:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. EST
- Format: Live virtual session (recording available to registrants)
- Registration: Complimentary for CMI members · US $25 for non-members – [Register here for the Masterclass] [Register here to become a CMI Member]
About Sio Silica Corporation:
Sio Silica is an emerging Canadian producer of high-purity quartz silica, committed to sustainable practices and environmental responsibility. Our unique extraction process uses no chemicals and avoids open-pit mining. Instead, we employ a closed-loop system that gently removes sand with minimal surface impact no truck traffic, no tunneling, and no dust. Once operations at a site are complete, the land is fully reclaimed and restored to its original condition, protecting ecosystems and local communities. With over 15 billion tonnes of in-situ high-purity silica confirmed in Manitoba, Sio Silica is positioned to support a wide range of industries from clean energy to advanced manufacturing while upholding the highest standards of environmental care. As an emerging leader in the sector, we’re proud to help shape a more sustainable future for Canada and beyond.
About Homerun Resources
Homerun Resources Inc. (TSXV: HMR | OTCQB: HMRFF) is a vertically integrated materials leader revolutionizing green energy solutions through advanced silica technologies. As an emerging force outside of China for high-purity quartz (HPQ) silica innovation, the Company controls the full industrial vertical from raw material extraction to cutting-edge solar, battery and energy storage solutions.
The Critical Minerals Institute (CMI): The Brain Trust of the Critical Minerals Economy.
The Critical Minerals Institute (CMI) is a global organization dedicated to addressing the challenges and opportunities in the critical minerals sector. CMI’s mission is to equip businesses, governments, and stakeholders with comprehensive resources and insights into the value, sustainability, and strategic importance of critical minerals essential for technological and industrial advancement. Serving as an international hub, the Institute links companies, capital markets, and experts through exclusive CMI Masterclasses, a weekly Critical Minerals Report (CMR), in‑depth research publications, and board‑level advisory services. For more information, go to CriticalMineralsInstitute.com
For more information, please email [email protected] or call +1 647 289 7714.
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