Rice University hosted Locksley Resources (ASX:LKY) COO Danny George for a progress update on collaborative efforts to develop the DeepSolv program.
The university has established preliminary process parameters of the green hydrometallurgical deep eutectic solvent (DES) process.
Commenting on his time at the university, George says the company is looking forward to seeing how the collaboration shapes future commercial applications, after consistently delivering “strong technical outcomes”.
“The novelty of the DES-based process lies specifically in the solvent chemistry and its enhanced selectivity for antimony dissolution — representing a true breakthrough in reagent innovation rather than a complete process redesign,” George says.
“Importantly, the downstream processing stages utilise established hydrometallurgical methods, ensuring a clear pathway toward commercial scalability, operational reliability, and regulatory acceptance.
“This is a strong example of how academic innovation and industry experience can work hand in hand to deliver next-generation solutions for the critical minerals sector.”
The company will now shift its focus to the Desert Antimony Mine within the Mojave Project in California and EV Resources’ (ASX:EVR) Los Lirios deposits, delivering flotation concentrates and run of mine ore to Rice to advance testing.
Findings will be used to assist the design and scoping of a planned pilot demonstration plant, for Locksley to strengthen the domestic supply chain of antimony.
Demand for antimony has skyrocketed in the US following China’s export ban, due to its importance in the defence sector.
As reported by Mining.com.au, the United States Antimony Corporation (USAC) signed a US$245 million ($377.7 million) contract with the US Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) to supply antimony metal ingots required for the national defence stockpile over a five year period.
Locksley Resources is a critical minerals explorer focused on advancing the Mojave Project in California to establish a stable supply chain of antimony for the US market.
Write to Maddison Elliott at Mining.com.au
Images: Locksley Resources
