Antimony Emerges as Strategic Growth Play in $4B+ Critical Minerals Market

Investors eye growth potential as limited supply and rising military/electronics demand drive long-term market expansion

NEW YORK, March 9, 2026 /CNW/ -- Market News Updates News Commentary - Antimony is starting to get a lot more attention in the critical minerals industry, especially as governments focus on securing materials needed for defense and advanced technology. The metal is used to strengthen ammunition and military alloys, and it's a key ingredient in flame-retardant materials that protect electronics, vehicles, and aircraft wiring. Antimony is also used in semiconductors, infrared sensors, and certain battery technologies. Because these applications are so important to national security and high-tech manufacturing, agencies like the U.S. Department of Defense and the U.S. Geological Survey consider antimony a strategic critical mineral.  Active Companies in the critical minerals industry this week include Xtra Energy Corporation (OTCID: XTPT), Americas Gold and Silver Corporation (NYSE American: USAS), Perpetua Resources Corp. (NASDAQ: PPTA), Lithium Americas Corp. (NYSE: LAC), MP Materials Corp. (NYSE: MP).

From a market standpoint, the antimony industry is still relatively small, but it's growing steadily. The global market is estimated to be worth about $2.5 billion today, and analysts expect it could reach roughly $4.3–$4.4 billion by around 2035. That works out to about 5–6% annual growth over the next decade. A big chunk of demand comes from flame-retardant materials used in electronics and construction, but defense applications and advanced technology are becoming bigger drivers as well.

For retail investors, antimony is becoming interesting because supply is limited while demand is rising. A large portion of global production currently comes from China, which has raised concerns about supply security for Western economies. That's pushing the U.S. and its allies to support new mining projects and alternative supply chains. If defense spending, electronics manufacturing, and battery technologies keep expanding the way analysts expect, antimony could remain a small but strategically important growth market within the broader critical minerals sector.

American Antimony Reports First MTA Results: 30.3% Sb Average Head Grade Produces 63% Sb Concentrate at 97% Recovery  - American Antimony Corporation, operating as Xtra Energy Corporation (OTCID: XTPT) today announced excellent test results using material sourced from the Company's Antimony King Mine within the American Antimony Project in Bernice Canyon, Nevada.  The test work was completed by ALS Metallurgy of Kamloops, BC, under the supervision of International Metallurgical and Environmental Inc.  Historically, the Antimony King Mine has produced high-grade materials for the recovery of antimony.  Test work results indicate that a simple flotation process can produce very high-grade antimony concentrates of approximately 63 percent antimony, at very high antimony recoveries of approximately 97 percent of the contained antimony. 

A bulk sample of approximately 400 kilograms was provided to ALS Metallurgy for test work purposes.  The test work program consisted of mineralogical evaluation, preliminary flotation tests and production of a bulk concentrate sample.  Shown in the following two tables are detailed analysis of the bulk sample chemistry and the key mineralogical results provided by ALS Metallurgy. 

ANALYSIS OF AMERICAN ANTIMONY BULK SAMPLE

Sample	Assay  - percent or g/tonne
	Sb	Fe	S	Au	Ag
American Antimony Bulk Sample	30.2	0.9	12.4	0.28	10.4

MINERAL COMPOSITION OF AMERICAN ANTIMONY BULK SAMPLE
Minerals	Mineral Content
	%
Stibnite	41.8
Antimony Oxides	0.8
Pyrite	0.4
Arsenopyrite	0.2
Other Sulphide Minerals	0.3
Iron Oxides	1
Quartz	47.8
Calcium Carbonates	4.4
Other silicates	3.3
Total	100

AMERICAN ANTIMONY BULK SAMPLE -
Overall Metallurgical Balance
Product	Weight		Assay  - percent or g/tonne					Distribution - percent
	%	grams	Sb	Fe	S	Au	Ag	Sb	Fe	S	Au	Ag
ANTIMONY CONC.	45.4	910.7	62.6	1.0	26.2	0.52	24	96.7	36.5	98.0	86.5	96.8
CLEANER TAILINGS	3.9	77.3	11.6	2.9	3.54	0.30	4	1.5	9.0	1.1	4.2	1.4
FINAL TAILINGS	50.7	1016.8	1.05	1.3	0.20	0.05	0.4	1.8	54.5	0.8	9.3	1.8
Recalculated Feed	100.0	2004.8	29.4	1.2	12.1	0.27	11.3	100	100	100	100	100
Measured Feed	100.0		30.2	0.9	12.4	0.28	10.4

The bulk sample material did not show any significant weathering or degradation of metallurgical performance, due to exposure or prolonged stockpiling at the Antimony King mine site.  The process employed at ALS Metallurgy is very simple and incorporates grinding of the material to approximately 75 microns and conditioning the slurry with a simple flotation activator and flotation collector.

The flotation results seen in this test work demonstrates a key strength of the Antimony King project, the ability to produce exceptional quality concentrates at very high antimony recoveries.    These results also provides a strong technical foundation for advancing scalable concentrate production pathways. The achieved head grades, concentrate grades, and recovery metrics represent key performance benchmarks in flotation-based antimony processing and materially strengthen the Company's confidence in the Antimony King system, as it progresses through staged development. 

Commentary from CEO Mac J. Shahsavar, P.Eng., Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of American Antimony Corporation:  "This is a defining milestone in our staged development strategy, high head grades are important, but converting them into premium-grade concentrate at high recovery is what ultimately demonstrates real production potential. A ~30% head grade upgrading to approximately 63% concentrate at ~97% recovery is unheard of for development-stage projects. These metrics highlight both the grade strength and metallurgical robustness of the Antimony King system and materially advance our confidence as we move toward scalable domestic concentrate production. The technical alignment we are seeing supports our broader objective of positioning Bernice Canyon as a meaningful U.S. source of high-grade antimony concentrate."  CONTINUED… Read this and more news for XTPT at:  https://finance.yahoo.com/quote/XTPT/news/

Other recent developments in the mining industry include:

United States Antimony Corporation ("USAC," "US Antimony," or the "Company"), (UAMY), a leading producer and processor of antimony, zeolite, and other critical minerals, and the only fully integrated antimony company in the world outside of China and Russia, recently announced a new Joint Venture ("JV") together with Americas Gold and Silver Corporation (NYSE AMERICAN: USAS) to construct a new state-of-the-art hydromet processing facility on lands being contributed to the JV located immediately adjacent to Americas active silver, copper, and antimony mines.

The ownership of the JV is 51% Americas and 49% US Antimony, with US Antimony serving as the managing member. All major decisions will be decided by a newly formed committee of equal representation from both JV partners.

Perpetua Resources Corp. (Nasdaq: PPTA) recently announced that it has selected Hatch Ltd. ("Hatch") as the Engineering, Procurement, and Construction Management ("EPCM") contractor for the Stibnite Gold Project ("SGP" or "Project"). The appointment of Hatch follows a highly competitive review process and marks a major milestone in Perpetua's transition from planning to development, ahead of a final investment decision expected in the spring of 2026. The EPCM selection strengthens Perpetua's readiness to responsibly deliver one of the most strategically important mining projects in the United States. Hatch is also making a $4 million equity investment (the "Private Placement") in the Company.

"Hatch brings the depth, discipline, and proven execution capability required to responsibly deliver the Stibnite Gold Project," said Jon Cherry, President and CEO of Perpetua Resources. "Their experience with sophisticated mining and metallurgical facilities in the United States will play a critical role in advancing Stibnite to the next phase of development. Today's decision reflects our commitment to a robust construction strategy that combines top-tier engineering and project management while serving our national interest."

Lithium Americas Corp. (TSX: LAC) (NYSE: LAC) recently provided a project update for the year ended December 31, 2025, 2026 capital expenditure ("Capex") guidance and 2026 project development milestones for its Thacker Pass project in Humboldt County, Nevada ("Thacker Pass" or the "Project").

"2025 was a pivotal year for Lithium Americas and the Thacker Pass Project with Phase 1 construction well underway," said Jonathan Evans, President and Chief Executive Officer of Lithium Americas. "Safety remains our top priority, processing facilities are rising and critical equipment and materials are arriving daily. As planned, we expect to reach peak construction employment of roughly 1,800 skilled craftspeople by year-end. Lithium market conditions are strengthening just as the project prepares to come online in late 2027, with full ramp-up through 2028."

MP Materials Corp. (NYSE: MP) recently announced it has selected a 120‑acre site in Northlake, Texas, to develop "10X," the company's planned large-scale rare earth magnet manufacturing campus. Located less than 10 miles from MP's existing Independence facility in Fort Worth, the new campus will cement North Texas as the center of gravity for the United States' rare earth magnet supply chain.

10X will significantly expand MP's fully integrated U.S. rare earth magnetics manufacturing platform, which already encompasses mining and refining, metallization and alloying, sintering, finished magnet production, and closed‑loop recycling. Once operational, the new campus is expected to contribute to the company's total production capacity of approximately 10,000 metric tons of NdFeB rare earth magnets per year, dramatically advancing the nation's ability to produce these strategic components domestically.

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