Nova Minerals (ASX:NVA) has shipped approximately 454 tonnes of processing and refining equipment to Alaska, US, ahead of planned construction of its Port MacKenzie antimony plant.
The barge departed Seattle on 26 August and is expected to arrive in early September, allowing construction of the processing facilities to begin.
The shipment comprises more than 40 containers and multiple oversized loads of crushing, ore sorting, milling, flotation, and refining equipment.
Nova says the antimony development is fully funded by a US$43.4 million ($60.26 million) US Department of War award under the Defense Production Act Title III program.
The company acquired a recently decommissioned processing facility in North America and sourced additional equipment across the continent before consolidating the cargo in Seattle.
CEO Christopher Gerteisen says repurposing existing equipment has helped reduce costs and accelerate the development schedule.
“That decision allowed us to move faster and more cost-effectively as we construct our processing plant at Port MacKenzie and work toward first antimony production in 2027,” Gerteisen says.
The plant is designed to process stibnite-bearing material, initially producing antimony trisulphide under the government-funded project.
Nova says the modular design would allow future expansion into other refined products, including antimony metal and antimony trioxide.
The company also envisages the refinery providing toll-treatment services after completion of the funded project, processing material for defence, industrial, and critical technology supply chains.
Port MacKenzie provides access to deepwater port infrastructure, supporting the delivery of equipment for the planned processing operation.
Nova is advancing the Estelle Gold and Critical Minerals Project in Alaska’s Tintina Gold Belt. Estelle hosts two defined multimillion-ounce gold resources and more than 20 prospects along a 35km mineralised trend.
Write to France Pinzon at Mining.com.au
Images: Nova Minerals
