Nova Minerals gains funding to advance mining project
the U.S. industrial base for a wide range of traditional and high-tech applications, including semiconductors and energy systems," Gerteisen said. This award will fund the initial phase of the Company’s strategy to establish a full spectrum state of the art antimony mining and refining hub based in Alaska to supply refined antimony products to the U.S. industrial base and beyond. After conducting rigorous vetting and technical due diligence of the Estelle Project, ARR is proud to be the recipient of this award, which provides further confidence in the quality of antimony mineraliza- tion and highlights the potential scale and scope of future antimony production from the Estelle Project. Located approximately 100 miles northwest of Anchorage, Estelle lies in a region historically rec- ognized as a significant hub for antimony in North America.
domestic production of the critical metal. U.S.-based Perpetua Resources has also received multi-mil- lion-dollar funding to test whether its Stibnite project in Idaho can deliver antimony trisulfide for defense use. Stibnite, named after the primary source of antimony, has also benefited from the expedited permitting processes introduced by the U.S. government for select raw material projects. The strategic importance of antimony is further underscored by a recent government agreement with a domestic producer to supply the national stockpile with metal ingots over a five-year period. The geopolitical backdrop adds urgency: China, the world’s leading supplier, banned exports of antimony to the U.S. at the end of last year. General export restrictions were already imposed in September, citing potential military applications. As a result, China’s antimony exports plummeted sharply in the first half of 2025.
Gold Belt, where Nova holds a majority stake. The funding is intended to establish a fully integrat- ed supply chain, from mining through refining to finished product. Estelle is still in the develop- ment stage, and no production timeline has been disclosed. According to CEO Christopher Gerteisen, the project aims not only to supply the U.S. military but also to serve civilian industries. “We are proud to have ARR partner with the U.S. Department of War to help secure a fully domestic, redundant supply chain for the munitions and other defense products our troops need to keep our nation and allies safe, as well as future supply to
COURTESY NOVA MINERALS The U.S. Department of Defense is continuing its push to strengthen the domestic supply chain for critical minerals. A subsidiary of Australian mining company Nova Minerals Limited — Alaska Range Resources, LLC (ARR) — has been awarded more than $43 million in funding to produce antimony trisul- fide to military specifications. This compound of the technology metal antimony is an essential com- ponent in certain types of ammunition and modern weapons systems. The raw material is slated to come from Estelle, a gold and antimony project in Alaska’s Tintina
This is not the Pentagon’s first investment in reviving
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