How Will Trigg Minerals Unlock Value in Historic Tennessee Mountain Tungsten Project?

Strategic Entry into Tungsten

Trigg Minerals Limited (ASX – TMG) has taken a significant step in broadening its critical minerals portfolio by acquiring full ownership of the Tennessee Mountain Tungsten Project in Elko County, Nevada. This acquisition represents a strategic move into tungsten, a metal increasingly vital to defence and aerospace industries, especially given recent supply chain disruptions and soaring prices.

The Tennessee Mountain Project, historically explored in the 1950s by the U.S. Defence Minerals Exploration Administration (DMEA), hosts a substantial tungsten resource estimated at approximately 780,000 short tons (708,602 tonnes) grading between 0.3% and 0.5% tungsten trioxide (WO₃). While this historical estimate predates modern reporting standards and requires verification, it provides a compelling foundation for Trigg’s planned exploration activities.

Geological and Operational Potential

The project’s mineralisation occurs within classic skarn-style deposits formed along the contact zone of the Coffeepot granodiorite intrusion and reactive carbonate rocks. The Garnet Mine, the main skarn body, features high-grade scheelite lenses that extend significantly in width and depth, suggesting favourable conditions for low-cost bulk mining, potentially via open pit methods.

Notably, the tungsten mineralisation remains open at depth and across strike, offering substantial upside for discovery through modern exploration techniques. Trigg plans to initiate a comprehensive verification program, including drilling, sampling, and metallurgical testwork, aiming to upgrade the historical resource to a JORC-compliant Mineral Resource by leveraging its strong cash position of approximately A$15.8 million.

Alignment with Market Dynamics and National Security

Tungsten’s strategic importance is underscored by its critical applications in military-grade penetrators, kinetic energy weapons, and advanced aerospace systems. The USA’s near-total reliance on imports, primarily from China, has heightened the urgency to develop domestic sources. Trigg’s acquisition aligns closely with U.S. national security interests and federal procurement objectives, positioning the company as a potential key supplier of conflict-free critical minerals.

Additionally, Trigg is advancing its flagship Antimony Canyon Project in Utah, with ongoing negotiations to acquire patented mining claims that would enhance tenure security and operational flexibility. These complementary moves reinforce Trigg’s ambition to become a diversified critical minerals and defence metals company serving Western economies.

Next Steps and Market Implications

Trigg’s immediate focus will be on validating the historical tungsten resource through modern exploration commencing in late 2025. Success in this endeavour could unlock significant value, given the robust fundamentals of the tungsten market and the strategic imperative for domestic supply chains. Investors will be watching closely for updates on drilling results, resource upgrades, and progress on the Antimony Canyon land acquisitions.