Nova Minerals (ASX:NVA) reports CEO Christopher Gerteisen attended a US Department of Energy (DOE) roundtable in Alaska on 28 August 2026 to brief officials on the company’s antimony supply chain progress.
The invite-only event in Fairbanks featured US Secretary of Energy Chris Wright, Senior Advisor Audrey Barrios, and Acting Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary Andy Rapp, alongside representatives from the Alaska Miners Association.
Secretary Wright reiterated the importance of antimony production from Nova’s Estelle Gold and Critical Minerals Project in supporting US critical minerals objectives.
The company is advancing an integrated antimony mining, processing, and refining operation in Alaska, fully funded by a US$43.4 million ($60.55 million) Department of War award.
Wright discussed incoming DOE initiatives to improve power generation and transmission across Alaska to underpin mining and refining operations. These initiatives are expected to ensure sufficient power supply for Nova’s phase two expansion plans for its vertically integrated military-grade antimony trisulphide production strategy.
Gerteisen also provided an update on Estelle, where the 2026 field season is underway with three diamond drill rigs operating continuously. A barge containing almost 500 tonnes of processing and refining equipment is scheduled to arrive early next month at Nova’s planned site at Port MacKenzie, Alaska.
Construction will commence upon arrival, with phase one antimony trisulphide production targeted for 2027.
Gerteisen says Nova’s participation in the DOE roundtable emphasises the strategic importance the US Government has placed on the Estelle Project.
“Antimony is essential to our national and economic security, with applications in defence, energy storage, and electronics. Roundtable discussions reinforced the critical role antimony production from Estelle will have in supporting US critical minerals security,” Gerteisen notes.
The Estelle Project is located in Alaska’s Tintina Gold Belt and hosts two defined multimillion-ounce gold resources and more than 20 prospects distributed along a 35km mineralised trend.
Nova Minerals is an explorer and developer focused on advancing its flagship Estelle Gold and Critical Minerals Project in Alaska.
Write to Paula Fabe at Mining.com.au
Images: Nova Minerals
