Locksley Resources Restarts US Domestic Antimony Production with First Ingot from Mojave Desert Project

Locksley Resources (ASX: LKY) has produced the first US-made antimony ingot from the Mojave Desert mine in California, marking the restart of US antimony metal production after a 24-year hiatus.

The domestically-sourced and refined product has validated the country’s only known mine-to-metal supply chain for antimony, from ore sourced at Mojave to refining at the metallurgical and process development laboratories of Hazen Research in Colorado.

The breakthrough directly supports US government policies aimed at restoring domestic production of critical minerals vital to defence, clean energy and strategic manufacturing supply chains.

Pilot-Scale Production

Locksley is now advancing towards pilot-scale production, which will be a key step in confirming metallurgical recoveries, process efficiencies, and scalability for future commercial antimony supply.

The company will work closely with industry partners and downstream consumers to ensure product specifications for antimony trisulfide and antimony trioxide meet stringent US defence and industrial standards.

It will also liaise with its US-based advisor GreenMet to advance permitting and funding to support this stage of its commercialisation strategy.

Defining Company Moment

Locksley chief executive officer Kerrie Matthews said the ingot marked a defining moment for the company and the nation.

“The successful casting of the first American-made antimony ingot in decades demonstrates mine-to-metal production is not only possible, but is already underway,” she said.

“We have proven the concept, and our focus now turns to scaling this achievement into a sustainable, commercial supply chain that supports America’s industrial and defence sectors.”

Supply Chain Pioneer

GreenMet chief executive officer Drew Horn considers Locksley to be a pioneer in the re-building of America’s antimony supply chain.

“The ability to produce a US-sourced and refined antimony ingot is precisely the kind of outcome that policymakers and industry leaders have been seeking to re-establish domestic supply chains for critical minerals,” he said.

“We are proud to support Locksley as it progresses its permitting and funding initiatives in the move towards a fully-integrated, US-controlled antimony production and processing capability to strengthen the nation’s strategic materials independence.”

Largest Antimony Producer

The last known domestic antimony production in the US came from the Sunshine mine in Idaho, which closed in 2001 after years of low metals prices and foreign competition.

Private company Sunshine Silver Mining & Refining recently announced plans to revive the operation and build the country’s only large-scale and permitted antimony refinery.

The company estimates it could supply up to 40% of US annual antimony demand by 2028, rising to as much as 80% by 2031.