Voyageur Pharmaceuticals Ltd. (TSX.V: VM) (OTC Pink: VYYRF) has announced that its proprietary Mueller iodine extraction process has achieved 99.8% purity in laboratory tests, with overall recovery exceeding 90%. The company, which develops pharmaceutical-grade barium and iodine contrast media for medical imaging, is now preparing to deploy a field pilot unit to test the process under real-world conditions.
The process is designed to recover high-purity iodine from iodine-rich oilfield brine, a byproduct of oil and gas production. According to the company, this approach could provide a domestic source of iodine for North America’s radiology contrast media market while offering oil and gas producers and midstream water operators a way to generate value from produced brine. Currently, billions of barrels of produced water are handled and disposed of each year at significant cost, with only a fraction of the iodine they contain being recovered.
Laboratory operations in Houston, Texas, have demonstrated the process using real Anadarko and Permian Basin produced water, generating clean brine suitable for disposal or reinjection, consistent with zero-liquid-discharge objectives. The company has built a mobile, field-capable pilot unit sized to treat approximately 80,000 litres per day, with field testing scheduled to begin in the coming weeks, with operations planned for September 2026.
Brent Willis, President and CEO of Voyageur, stated, “Achieving 99.8% purity and greater than 90% recovery in laboratory testing using real oilfield brine provides meaningful technical validation as we prepare for field pilot operations. This work supports our broader strategy of building a secure, vertically integrated supply chain for radiology drugs.”
The company’s long-term strategy includes developing iodine production capacity of up to 1,000 tonnes per year to support its future iodine-based contrast pharmaceutical production. The Mueller process is a key component of this plan, which aims to reduce reliance on imported raw materials and lower operating costs for medical imaging contrast agents.
Engineering work is progressing on process systems for iodine polishing, prilling, and packaging, as well as defining a modular field unit and central processing hub configuration. The company has completed a preliminary design basis for a 200 tonnes per year plant and has conducted techno-economic and environmental validation supporting a low-cost OPEX and environmental profile.
Voyageur’s vertically integrated strategy also includes its Frances Creek barium project, which the company believes will replace synthetic barium products with higher-quality, lower-cost imaging products. By controlling all primary input costs, from raw materials to final production, Voyageur aims to become the first vertically integrated company in the radiology contrast media drug market.
The company will provide further updates as field testing begins and operating data is collected. More information about Voyageur Pharmaceuticals can be found on their website at https://voyageurpharmaceuticals.ca.
