American Tungsten & Antimony (ASX:AT4) has produced antimony ingot at the Del Sol Refinery in Nevada using material from the White Spar Mine in Arizona.
The production represents the first physical demonstration of a domestic mine-to-metal pathway underpinning AT4’s US vertical integration strategy. Material mined in Arizona was processed at the permitted Del Sol Refinery to produce antimony ingot without requiring new processing infrastructure or new permitting for the current campaign.
The restart campaign recently commenced within the facility’s existing feed envelope. AT4 reports the leach and electrowinning circuit returned to operation ahead of schedule, with antimony ingot produced in the facility’s melters from flake derived from White Spar.
AT4 is undertaking the restart campaign in cooperation with Nexus Metals under arrangements that permit AT4 to progress agreed work programs prior to completion.
Chief executive Casper Adson says producing antimony ingot at Del Sol is a major milestone for AT4 and a tangible demonstration of the potential strategic value of the proposed Del Sol acquisition.
“We have taken material mined in Arizona, processed it through a permitted refinery in Nevada, and produced antimony ingot. This demonstrates a domestic mine-to-metal pathway for critical minerals on US soil,” Adson says.
“It also represents an important step toward AT4’s broader vision for a Critical Mineral Valley, bringing US mining, processing, and downstream critical-mineral capability together in one integrated platform.”
Executive Chairman Timothy Morrison notes that there is a ‘clear difference’ between a company that intends to produce antimony in the US and a company that has produced it.
“Qualification is the gate that every defence supply arrangement must pass through, and it cannot begin without physical material. We now have that material,” Morrison says.
“Antimony ingot is a feedstock for downstream products including antimony trisulphide and sodium antimonate, and it provides a credible basis for the discussions we are progressing with prospective off-takers, defence primes, and United States government agencies.”
AT4 says independent analytical testing and product qualification of the ingot are currently underway while the restart campaign remains ongoing to generate operating information from Del Sol.
American Tungsten & Antimony is focused on the exploration and development of antimony and tungsten projects in the US.
Write to Paula Fabe at Mining.com.au
Main image: American Tungsten & Antimony
