US Antimony Supply at Risk? Trigg’s Expansion Highlights Strategic Vulnerabilities

Strategic Moves in a Critical Mineral Landscape

Trigg Minerals Limited (ASX, TMG) has announced significant progress at its flagship Antimony Canyon Project (ACP) in Utah, USA, marking a pivotal step towards establishing a domestic antimony supply chain in the United States. The company’s recent initiatives include plans for near-term pilot scale mining and a substantial expansion of its landholding, which now links the historically mined Antimony Canyon with the newly confirmed mineralised Dry Wash Canyon area.

Antimony is a critical mineral with strategic importance, especially given the United States currently lacks domestic production. Trigg’s ACP is uniquely positioned to fill this supply gap amid rising global geopolitical tensions, which have heightened demand for secure and conflict-free sources of critical metals.

Expanding the Mineralised Footprint

Recent field reconnaissance and geological mapping have revealed widespread antimony mineralisation well beyond previously defined resource boundaries. Notably, mineralisation has been confirmed approximately 10 kilometres north of Antimony Canyon in Dry Wash Canyon, expanding the project’s prospective footprint significantly. The discovery is underpinned by new geological interpretations identifying major North-South trending structures controlling mineralisation continuity both laterally and vertically throughout the Flagstaff Formation.

These structural corridors suggest a continuous mineralised system that could substantially increase the scale and potential of the project. Trigg has acted swiftly to secure this prospective ground through strategic claim staking both north and south of Antimony Canyon, consolidating its position in this highly prospective region.

Pilot Scale Mining and Processing Plans

To advance feasibility and metallurgical understanding, Trigg plans to commence pilot scale mining on selected surface sections of the Antimony Creek claims. This operation will employ mechanical extraction methods, with onsite mobile crushing and gravity separation to upgrade antimony concentrates. Material not recovered initially will be stockpiled for potential future flotation recovery. While these pilot activities are exploratory and not yet economically assessed, they represent a critical step in validating processing techniques and informing larger-scale development.

The company has also appointed two downstream antimony experts, Wiehann Kleynhans and David Fourie, to support these efforts, underscoring its commitment to developing a vertically integrated supply chain.

Resource and Regulatory Outlook

ACP is recognised as one of the largest and highest-grade antimony projects in the USA, with a foreign resource estimate of 12.7 million tonnes at 0.79% antimony, equating to over 100,000 tonnes of contained metal. Trigg is actively working to convert this foreign estimate into a JORC 2012 and/or United States SK-1300 compliant resource, a necessary step for advancing project financing and development.

Over 250 rock chip samples from both Antimony Canyon and Dry Wash Canyon have been submitted for assay, with results expected in the coming weeks. These assays will help confirm grade continuity and guide further exploration and development programs.

Strategic Importance and Market Positioning

With global tensions driving demand for secure critical mineral supplies, Trigg Minerals has attracted strategic interest, including proposals to uplist the company’s shares onto major US exchanges such as NASDAQ or NYSE. This move could enhance capital access and visibility among international investors.

Managing Director Andre Booyzen emphasised the transformative nature of these developments, highlighting the project’s potential to contribute significantly to America’s antimony production landscape and the company’s broader vision to become a conflict-free supplier to Western economies.