Three critical projects in Alaska are paving the way for the United States to fill a significant supply gap left by China’s impending export ban on antimony and other essential minerals.
As high-grade antimony is being transported from a historic gold mining site near Fairbanks to the United States Antimony Corporation’s refinery in Montana, Alaska is stepping up as a domestic alternative to foreign sources, particularly China and Russia, for this strategic metalloid.
Gary Evans, the Chairman and CEO of U.S. Antimony, highlighted the significance of Alaska’s resource potential during a Sept. 8 event at the company’s Mohawk Antimony project, emphasizing the importance of supporting U.S. critical mineral independence.
At the event, dignitaries from municipal, state, and federal levels observed crews loading stibnite—an antimony mineral—into trucks destined for U.S. Antimony’s smelter located near Thompson Falls, Montana.
Under a $245 million contract signed with the U.S. Defense Logistics Agency (DLA), antimony bars produced from Alaskan stibnite will be used to replenish the National Defense Stockpile, crucial for defense, manufacturing, and energy technologies.
Evans expressed pride in the role his team plays in enhancing national defense readiness, highlighting Alaska’s consistent contributions to U.S. antimony supplies during past conflicts since World War I.
The critical demand for antimony has expanded beyond military usage into civilian applications, ranging from automotive batteries to semiconductors and renewable energy storage solutions.
Each year, American manufacturers require approximately 50 million pounds of antimony for various military and commercial products.
Traditionally, the U.S. has relied heavily on imports, particularly from China, Tajikistan, and Russia, which account for around 90% of global antimony production.
However, Beijing’s export restrictions planned for 2024, targeting critical minerals including gallium and germanium, along with strained relations with Russia, have fueled a national supply emergency.
Jeffrey Frankston, acting Deputy Assistant Secretary of War for Industrial Base Resilience, stressed the risks involved in U.S. reliance on foreign antimony resources, highlighting the imperative to secure alternative supplies quickly.
This urgent need has prompted attention towards Alaska, which has a rich history of antimony production and numerous high-grade deposits waiting to be explored.
Historically, the presence of stibnite in Alaska has been recognized since the early 20th century.
In a 1917 report, geologist Alfred Brooks documented 67 occurrences of stibnite across Alaska, indicating the states’ readiness to supply antimony during World War I.
The Fairbanks district, for instance, has a rich history of antimony mining, with reports noting four properties legally extracting the metal in 1915.
Among these, the Scrafford mine produced an estimated 2,700 tons of ore with stibnite content exceeding 50%, and it operated from World War I through the 1970s.
Ongoing interest in Alaska’s antimony resources is verified by the increasing support from both federal and state agencies.
For instance, the Treasure Creek antimony-gold project, which includes the historical Scrafford mine, is currently under development by Felix Gold Ltd.
This project has garnered the attention of federal regulators who visited the site to assess its role in establishing a secure U.S. supply chain.
Emily Domenech, Executive Director of the Permitting Council, expressed the project’s priority status under the Trump Administration, affirming its potential in bolstering domestic mineral supplies.
Recent drilling at Treasure Creek has confirmed significant deposits of high-grade antimony, with samples yielding exceptionally high grades of up to 50.26% antimony in certain drills.
As Felix Gold progresses towards starting mining operations by 2025, they are focusing on drilling, environmental surveys, and engaging with local communities.
Both Evans and Webb, from Felix Gold, are optimistic about the role their projects can play in addressing the supply gap, emphasizing the strategic necessity of these assets as global mineral resources tighten.
While Felix prepares to begin its operations, U.S. Antimony has already commenced shipping antimony from its Mohawk project to replenish national stockpiles.
The project location is strategically advantageous, with high-grade stibnite being utilized for production, and previous gold mining activities helping streamline the operational process.
U.S. Antimony’s Mohawk project was initiated by utilizing leftover high-grade stibnite from past gold mining, and the company has expedited state authorizations to transport the material to its processing facility in Montana.
The efficiency of U.S. Antimony’s operations is notable, as the company has secured a long-term contract with the government valued at $245 million, a significant achievement given its revenue of $14.9 million in 2024.
Zev Evens has detailed plans for expanding the Montana refinery to boost annual production to 20 million pounds of antimony bars.
Moreover, as U.S. Antimony begins actual deliveries of antimony ingots to the DLA, they are poised to make significant contributions to the national defense effort.
In addition to these key projects, Alaska offers additional opportunities, such as the Estelle project, where Nova Minerals Ltd. is advancing a pilot-scale antimony mine.
A recent $43 million grant from the War Department has accelerated the development of the Stibium target at the Estelle site, which also features over 5 million ounces of gold in its reserves.
The high-grade antimony discovered at Estelle has drawn interest from both U.S. and Australian government officials, further solidifying Alaska’s position as a critical contributor to national mineral needs.
Nova has already stockpiled surface stibnite, positioning the company to meet military-grade specifications, albeit with minor further processing.
The efficiency of ore sorting technology at Estelle has shown promising results, upgrading stibnite from an initial 15.2% antimony to a concentrated form containing 35.2%, enhancing its viability for defense applications.
The Pentagon has recognized the importance of this project, awarding Nova’s subsidiary a Defense Production Act grant to develop a mining and refining hub in Alaska.
This critical endeavor aims to supply refined antimony products that are essential not only for the U.S. industrial base but potentially for international markets as well.
Combined, the Mohawk, Treasure Creek, and Estelle projects depict a vibrant future for Alaska as a significant source of antimony, reinforcing America’s economic stability and military preparedness.
Alaska’s vast mineral resources, historic production capacities, and recent investments position the state as a vital player in establishing a secure domestic supply chain for antimony amidst ongoing geopolitical tensions and mineral scarcity.
These ongoing developments suggest a substantial shift in U.S. manufacturing and defense capabilities, potentially diminishing reliance on foreign sources while enhancing national security.
image source from：miningnewsnorth
