Voyageur Pharmaceuticals Ltd. (TSX.V: VM) (OTC Pink: VYYRF) has announced a significant advancement in its proprietary Mueller iodine extraction process, reporting laboratory results of 99.8% iodine purity with overall recovery exceeding 90%. This development moves the company closer to its goal of establishing a domestic supply of iodine for the North American radiology contrast media market while offering oil and gas producers a new revenue stream from produced brine.
The company has established a laboratory and fabrication site in Houston, Texas, dedicated to advancing the Mueller process using produced water from the Anadarko and Permian Basins. Laboratory operations have demonstrated the process under controlled conditions, producing clean brine suitable for disposal or reinjection, aligning with zero-liquid-discharge objectives. A field-capable pilot unit has been built and is scheduled to begin field testing in the coming weeks, with operations planned for September 2026. This transition from bench-scale validation to continuous, real-world field operation using unaltered oilfield brine is a critical step for any technology intended for commercial deployment.
Key laboratory achievements include producing iodine at 99.8% purity, overall recovery exceeding 90%, continuous operation using real oilfield brine feed, and the construction of a mobile, field-capable pilot unit sized to 80,000 litres per day. Additionally, the company has completed a preliminary design basis for a 200 metric tonne per year plant and conducted techno-economic and environmental validation supporting a low-cost OPEX and environmental profile.
The field pilot testing is expected to provide operating data under real-world conditions, supporting the design basis for modular, relocatable production units. Voyageur’s modular production concept allows 200 tonne per year field units to be deployed at multiple saltwater disposal sites, where iodine concentrate can be produced and transported to a central hub for final polishing, prilling, and packaging. Engineering and project planning are progressing, with current work focused on finalizing process systems for iodine polishing, prilling, and packaging, and further defining the modular field unit and central processing hub configuration.
For oil and gas operators, produced water midstream companies, and investors focused on the energy value chain, produced brine represents a largely untapped resource. Billions of barrels are handled and disposed of each year at meaningful cost, while only a small fraction of the iodine they contain is ever recovered. Voyageur aims to be the first company to change that equation, building what it believes will be the first economically profitable, field-proven iodine extraction process. This effort is part of a broader industry trend toward brine valorization.
Voyageur’s vertically integrated strategy aims to improve supply-chain security, reduce reliance on imported raw materials, and lower operating costs for the production of medical imaging contrast agents. Iodine is a critical raw material used in iodinated contrast media, and this process is a key component of the company’s plan. 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.”
As part of its long-term vertically integrated manufacturing strategy, Voyageur plans to develop iodine production capacity of up to 1,000 tonnes per year to support its future iodine-based contrast pharmaceutical production. The company’s staged approach is designed to validate iodine recovery in the field, advance modular production, and ultimately support future iodine-based drug manufacturing. By developing the Mueller process alongside its Frances Creek barium project and planned manufacturing capabilities, Voyageur is positioning itself across key parts of the medical imaging contrast media value chain.
Further updates are expected as field testing begins and operating data is collected. For more information about Voyageur Pharmaceuticals, visit their website.
