Latest news with #antimony
The Guardian
19 hours ago
- Business
- The Guardian
Push to reopen old mines in NSW in global race for critical minerals
Residents, local councils and environmental groups are calling for government intervention as exploration for the critical mineral antimony ramps up on the New South Wales north coast, citing concerns over the potential for contamination of the regional water supply. A swathe of exploration licences have been approved across the region in recent months, with one mining company, Trigg Minerals, establishing a 30-acre base at Wild Cattle Creek on the Dorrigo Plateau in preparation for drilling work. Antimony is a silvery, lustrous grey metalloid used in flame retardants, solar panels, alloys, batteries and military equipment. It's listed as a critical mineral by the US and the European Union. Australia has 7.7% of all global stores but makes up just 2% of all global production, according to Geoscience Australia. But locals on the Dorrigo Plateau are concerned about the risk of runoff from antimony exploration entering local waterways, particularly given the area's high rainfall and steep topography. Antimony levels above the Australian Drinking Water Guidelines (ADWG) were detected on two separate occasions at Shannon Creek Dam, a 30,000 megalitre water source for the Clarence Valley and Coffs Harbour regions, in March 2025. It followed torrential rain due to ex-tropical cyclone Alfred, which saw 1,000mm fall in seven days on an area which includes an old antimony mine site. With the exception of a period of exploratory drilling 15 years ago, the mine has not been active since the 1970s. The mayor of Clarence Valley council, Ray Smith, called on the NSW Environment Protection Authority (EPA) to provide a briefing to council on the risk of antimony projects in the vicinity of the water catchment. Trigg Minerals' managing director, Andre Booyzen, said the results were unrelated to his company's project. 'We haven't even started exploring; we are still working on getting access,' he said. Concerns have also been raised about the storage and transport of antimony samples, after a car and trailer crash on 22 April spilled antimony samples at Bielsdown Bridge in Dorrigo. The EPA confirmed that no debris from the crash entered waterways. Sign up to receive Guardian Australia's fortnightly Rural Network email newsletter Booyzen confirmed the incident but claimed there was 'no danger of anything getting polluted' as the antimony levels in the samples were 0.0001%. The Wild Cattle Creek area was mined on and off for antimony from 1890 until 1975, when falling prices forced the closure of the local industry. Trigg's Wild Cattle Creek project is 'probably the biggest undeveloped antimony resource in Australia, if not the world', Booyzen said. In a presentation to investors, delivered on YouTube, he said the deposit contained 1.5 million tonnes of mineral resource with an average grade of just below 2%. With prices skyrocketing from US$10,000 a tonne in 2023 to US$60,000 in May 2025, mining companies have their sights on the Dorrigo Plateau once more. Shelley Griffin lives next door to the land purchased by Trigg and has a disused mine site on her property. Anchor Resources, which sold the exploration licence for Wild Cattle Creek to Trigg in 2024, gained access to her land for exploratory drilling in 2009, despite her objections, and was later fined by the state government in 2012 for sub-standard remediation work. Samples from the drilling remain discarded on her property. She has been receiving letters and calls from Trigg since January but also plans to oppose its bid to access her land. 'When [Anchor] eventually left I thought this was the end, there is no more,' she said. 'Every year they haven't been on I have celebrated.' Also within the boundaries of Trigg's exploration licence is the Yammacoona Rural Co-operative, a 550-acre commune founded in 1980. Sign up to The Rural Network Subscribe to Calla Wahlquist's fortnightly update on Australian rural and regional affairs after newsletter promotion Founding member Simon Fraser said antimony mining was an 'existential threat' to the community. 'Aerial surveys have shown that there are significant deposits underneath Yammacoona,' he said. Gumbaynggirr elder Uncle Cecil Briggs, 86, said he was terrified of the prospect of mining in an area of special significance for his people. 'Mining is a destroyer of our country,' he said. 'It pollutes the water and it contaminates the air.' The ecologist Mark Graham, a former Coffs Harbour city councillor, said the steep terrain and extreme rainfall of the Dorrigo Plateau made the area particularly vulnerable to run-off from mining activities. 'There is no physical way to contain all runoff in such steep terrain and in extreme rainfall events so pollution of the drinking water catchment with antimony and other toxic elements such as arsenic is inevitable,' he said. Water test results provided to the local council by Anchor Resources in 2011 from creeks surrounding a historic mine site and contemporary exploration works at Wild Cattle Creek showed arsenic levels above ADWG levels at two sites, with four other sites showing high levels but not above Australian guidelines. Antimony was detected above ADWG levels at three sites. Booyzen said contamination risks can be effectively managed. 'There is always a danger of runoff from a mine, but you try to minimise the risk as much as you can through proper design, engineering and build quality,' he said. 'Even in huge rainfall events, the design of tailings dams, processing facilities etc means there is no release from the mine site at all.' Grassroots action group the Clarence Catchment Alliance has called for a permanent ban on all mineral mining activities in the catchment. 'The significant environmental, cultural and economic risks, including threats to water quality, biodiversity, endangered species, Indigenous cultural sites, water-based local industry and the health of local communities, demand urgent action,' coordinator Shae Fleming said. Fleming said flood zones and drinking water catchments should be 'clearly designated as no-go zones' for mining. A spokesperson for NSW Resources said the state has 'robust health and environmental regulations' to ensure community safety. The NSW natural resources minister, Courtney Houssos, declined to comment on the suitability of the Wild Cattle Creek project, but has previously expressed her vision for the state to become a 'leader in critical minerals exploration'. Douglas Connor is a journalist and editor on the NSW mid-north coast Sign up for the Rural Network email newsletter
News.com.au
2 days ago
- Business
- News.com.au
Break it Down: MTM proves high-grade antimony recovery from e-waste
MTM Critical Metals has achieved 98% recovery of antimony from US e-waste using its proprietary Flash Joule Heating technology.
RNZ News
3 days ago
- Business
- RNZ News
Australian Mining company gets lucrative Marlborough Sounds exploration permit
Antimony is used as a flame retardant in electronics including iPhones, lithium batteries in electric vehicles and circuit boards. Photo: Monique Berger / Biosphoto / Biosphoto via AFP Australian Mining company Siren Gold Limited has been granted an exploration permit for gold and antimony in a remote part of the Marlborough Sounds. The five-year exploration permit covers almost 12,000 hectares of land around Endeavour Inlet, Te Anamāhanga / Port Gore and Titirangi Bay. In a statement to the ASX, Siren Gold said it had been granted the exploration permit that contains the historic Endeavour mine, which was first established in the 1870s and was historically New Zealand's largest antimony producer. Siren Gold chair and interim managing director Brian Rodan said in the statement that the exploration of the high-grade Queen Charlotte antimony and gold asset would allow Siren to build "substantial scale" along with its existing Langdons prospecting permit for antimony and gold near Reefton. Former Siren Gold managing director Victor Rajasooriar said the Reefton area could have up to 5 percent of the world's supply of antimony. It is one of the few elements classified as a 'critical and strategic' mineral by countries including the United States, China, Australia, Russia, the European Union and, more recently, New Zealand. In January, Resources Minister Shane Jones announced the government's plan to double mineral sector exports to $3 billion by 2035 - up from the previous target of $2 billion . Jones said New Zealand was a prospective destination for sought-after minerals, like antimony, which is on the country's first Critical Minerals List . The price of antimony has surged in recent years due to constrained supply and the decision by China last September to restrict antimony exports. It is used as a flame retardant in electronics including iPhones, lithium batteries in electric vehicles and circuit boards. It's also used in the military for lead bullets and armour. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
Reuters
28-05-2025
- Business
- Reuters
Perpetua Resources receives additional funding for Stibnite project from US Army Corps
May 28 (Reuters) - Mining company Perpetua Resources (PPTA.O), opens new tab on Wednesday said it has been awarded up to $6.9 million in additional funding from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for its Idaho antimony and gold Stibnite project. The Pentagon-backed mine, which would be the country's first antimony project, has an estimated reserve of 148 million pounds of the metal used in bullets and tanks, as well as in alloys for electric-vehicle batteries. China, responsible for nearly 60% of globally mined antimony in 2024, banned exports of the metal to the United States in December last year, prompting efforts to increase production within the U.S. This supplemental award will allow Perpetua to expand the research and support the U.S. Army's objective of establishing a fully domestic "ground-to-round" antimony trisulfide supply chain. "Advancing America's capabilities to process minerals critical to national defense is essential for our long-term mineral independence and resilience," said CEO Jon Cherry. The company said that with the receipt of this additional funding, its total awards from the Department of Defense exceed $80 million, including the $15.5 million received under an Ordnance Technology Initiative Agreement in August 2023. Last week, the company received the final federal permit, the Clean Water Act Section 404, from the U.S. Army Corps for the project.
News.com.au
28-05-2025
- Business
- News.com.au
Resources Top 5: Locksley on the charge after arming itself for Mojave drilling
Funds raised in a placement will fund upcoming exploration at the Mojave antimony and rare earths project Placement funds will enable Victory to accelerate a pre-feasibility study and development of North Stanmore Bauxite miner Metro Mining reached 6.3c, a 6.8% increase on the previous close Your standout resources stocks for Wednesday, May 28, 2025 Locksley Resources (ASX:LKY) On the charge to a daily high of 7.1c, a lift of 45% on the previous close and on volume of more than 119m, was Locksley Resources after raising $1.47m in a strongly supported placement. There were 36.67 million shares issued at 4c each to sophisticated and institutional investors in the placement, which was heavily oversubscribed. Funds will be used to fund an upcoming exploration campaign, including drilling, at the Mojave antimony and rare earths project in California. The exploration team of Locksley Resources (ASX:LKY) is already mobilising to site in order to confirm priority targets and prepare for drilling to start. The team will confirm and peg drill collar locations and access routes while the company waits for Bureau of Land Management approvals to be granted. Priority activities also include access routes and the engagement of earthworks and drill contractors to complete the drilling program. In addition, the exploration team will conduct follow-up mapping and rock chip sampling across high-priority antimony, REE, polymetallic and copper targets. Further activities will include refining geophysical targets, additional surface sampling for geochemistry and structural mapping, and starting petrological studies to inform future metallurgical testing. Drilling, which is expected to begin in the September quarter, will focus on the El Campo prospect where six holes will be drilled to test TREO of up to 12.1% and the Desert Antimony Mine with three holes testing high-grade antimony mineralisation of up to 46%. This comprehensive campaign is designed to progress priority targets and unlock the project's critical minerals potential. Mojave is immediately adjacent to MP Materials' high-grade Mountain Pass mine and processing facility, which is the only active REE processor in the US and produces ~15% of global REE supply. It is prospective for valuable magnet REEs such as neodymium and praseodymium, as well as antimony with rock chips having returned grades of up to 17% while sampling also returned high-grade results of between 3.74% and 9.49% total rare earth oxides within a six-metre wide mineralised zone at the El Campo prospect. 'We're extremely pleased with the strong support shown for this raise, which allows us to advance both antimony and REE drilling in one of the most strategic locations in the US,' chairman Nathan Lude said. 'This funding puts us in a strong position to execute our exploration program and deliver key value catalysts in the months ahead.' REEs and antimony are designated as critical minerals by the US government with the former – particularly magnet REEs – used to manufacture permanent rare earth magnets that are used in electric vehicle motors and wind turbines. Antimony, which reportedly cracked the US$60,000t mark recently, is used as a flame retardant and in the production of alloys, which are used in batteries, low-friction metals, small arms, tracer bullets, cable sheathing and other industrial products. Victory Metals (ASX:VTM) Another company on the move after raising funds was Victory Metals, which climbed 16.3% to a daily high of $1.00. The $4m raised will enable the company to accelerate a pre-feasibility study and development of its flagship North Stanmore rare earths project near Cue in Western Australia. Firm commitments have been received for the placement at 73c per share, which was a 15% discount to VTM's last traded price on May 26, 2025. The placement attracted strong backing from Victory's top 20 shareholders as well as directors and management, reflecting high confidence in the company and its North Stanmore project, Australia's largest clay-hosted heavy rare earth deposit. More than 5m will be issued to professional and sophisticated investors and around 340,000 shares to directors and management, pending shareholder approval. The company will also issue 1.8m unlisted options with an exercise price of $1.30 and a two-year exercise period to unrelated parties under the investor participation. Victory Metals (ASX:VTM) said this funding marked a turning point, positioning it as a global leader in critical minerals. Recent testwork recovered seven strategic metals, including gallium and other rare earths impacted by Chinese export restrictions, marking a key milestone in establishing a globally significant critical minerals platform. 'This raise will fast track our PFS and marks a pivotal moment for Victory with such strong support,' Victory's CEO and executive director Brendan Clark said. 'North Stanmore is emerging as one of the world's most advanced heavy rare earth clay projects and is already Australia's leading heavy rare earth project. 'Our MREC testwork has successfully recovered seven strategic metals currently under Chinese export restrictions, including gallium and the full suite of critical heavy rare earths. 'We are building a globally significant critical minerals platform and are proud to be leading the charge.' Settlement of the placement shares and placement options is expected to occur on Thursday, June 5, 2025, with shares to begin normal trading on the ASX on Friday, June 6. Shareholder approval for the director participation will be sought at a general meeting planned to be held in July 2025. Metro Mining (ASX:MMI) (Up on no news) ASX-listed bauxite producers and explorers have been buoyed by stronger prices and improved market fundamentals in the past few months and among them is Metro Mining, which has reached 6.3c, a 6.8% increase on the previous close, despite having no news. The primary driver of the changed markets for the key raw material for aluminium production, has been the suspension of exports from Guinea, the second largest producer globally and just behind Australia in production volume. This has seen increased demand from China for other sources as well as increased prices and the trend is expected to continue throughout the remainder of 2025. Metro Mining has operations in the bauxite region on the west coast of Queensland's Cape York. The 100%-owned Bauxite Hills Mine is on the Weipa bauxite plateau about 95 km north of Weipa, near the coast on the Skardon River. This month the company updated its ore reserve and resource estimates for Bauxite Hills, taking into account depletion from mining during 2024. The total resource estimate for Bauxite Hills is now 114.4Mt (dry), representing a decrease of 4.3Mt from the December 31, 2023, estimate. No additional resources were added as no exploration was undertaken during 2024 and there were no additional conversions from indicated to measured categories or inferred to indicated categories. The total reserve estimate is now 77.7Mt (wet). The decrease was 5.5Mt from that published in May 2024 which accounted for mining to the end of December 2024. Hawsons Iron (ASX:HIO) (Up on no news) Although it also has no news today, Hawsons Iron increased as much as 74% to 4c, a high of more than two years. Last week, testwork on ore from its namesake project in the far west of NSW supported a plan to use 100% dry processing as it is a cleaner, cheaper alternative to the traditional wet method. An independent report from Stantec Australia confirms the dry circuit is not only viable but also cuts costs and improves environmental outcomes while also opening the door to potential value-add side products like silica sand. Stantec's Project Report provides confidence for further investigation into potential secondary products (eg hematite, silica sands) and flow on optimisation of mine design, processing and logistics. Detailed analytical work completed recently demonstrates a high level of geochemical and physical material consistency, throughout the current resource, particularly within the early phase of operations, which significantly contributes towards de-risking the project during its early years of operation. The company is collating engineering and cost data with the aim of releasing an updated prefeasibility study together with maiden ore reserves for the Hawsons iron project. Pivotal Metals (ASX:PVT) After identifying bonanza-grade gold targets during a review of historical data from the Lorraine prospect in Canada, Pivotal Metals jumped 50% on the previous close to a daily high of 0.9c. The review included a result of 28m at 45.2 g/t gold and 3.2% copper in an historical underground channel sample. This and other high-grade results show potential for a significant system at the project in Quebec. Among the other results were: 9.5m at 14.1 g/t Au and 3.2% Cu; and 0.97m at 56.2 g/t Au including 0.15m at 233.9 g/t. A broad 600m strike prospective corridor has been defined with multiple signature Cu-Au quartz veining. The gold target is largely unexplored following the conclusion of copper-nickel focused mining in the 1960s and the company has started a gold focused work program, including the definition of drill targets with detailed surface mapping and sampling along with a high resolution UAV magnetic survey to inform structural controls. The Lorraine targets are a small part of the large and highly prospective Belleterre-Angliers Greenstone Belt (BAGB) project, which is close to the infrastructure-rich Abitibi mining camp. Pivotal managing director Ivan Fairhall said: 'With a large and robust shallow copper resource and clear exploration pathway in hand at Horden Lake, we are broadening our program to our BAGB projects; where bonanza Cu, Ni and Au grades are guiding us towards the next discovery. 'These gold targets at Lorraine are an exciting addition to our already attractive Cu-Ni projects at BAGB. The bonanza Au grades and their correlation over a significantly broad area provide very strong encouragement for discovery in this area which has largely unexplored for Au, with the historical focus on Cu-Ni previously mined. 'We are planning an aggressive summer field program to establish the continuity of the broad Au-Cu-quartz vein system adjacent to the Lorraine mine to develop drill targets for immediate follow up.' This article does not constitute financial product advice. You should consider obtaining independent financial advice before making any financial decisions. While Locksley Resources and Victory Metals are Stockhead advertisers, they did not sponsor this article.
