How Will Resolution Minerals Revive Golden Gate’s Tungsten Fortunes?

Historic Mine, Modern Ambitions

Resolution Minerals Ltd (ASX – RML) is advancing its tungsten exploration and development efforts at the Horse Heaven Project in Idaho, USA, focusing on the past-producing Golden Gate Tungsten Mine. The company’s recent announcement reveals a strategic push to revitalise this historic asset, which intermittently produced tungsten from the 1950s through to 1980.

Central to this initiative is the engagement of David R. Hembree, a geologist with 45 years’ experience and direct historical ties to Golden Gate, having been the last mine geologist on site in the early 1980s. His expertise is expected to accelerate exploration and development, guiding a drilling program scheduled to commence in June 2026.

Strategic Acquisition Enhances Processing Capability

Resolution is also nearing completion of due diligence on the acquisition of the Johnson Creek Mill, a former tungsten and antimony processing facility located adjacent to the Horse Heaven Project. This acquisition includes approximately 2,000 tonnes of tungsten ore stockpiled from historic mining operations, offering the company a significant logistical and operational advantage.

Owning private land with processing infrastructure in a region dominated by public lands provides Resolution with greater flexibility for permitting and potential downstream integration, including smelting and refining. This positions the Horse Heaven Project as a potential critical metals hub in the United States, aligning with national interests in securing domestic supplies of strategic minerals.

Reassessing Historical Data Amid Market Tailwinds

Historical records indicate that Golden Gate produced over 1,800 tons of tungsten ore in the 1950s at an average grade of 1.5% WO3, with further stockpiles from the 1970s averaging grades between 1.8% and 2.03% WO3. While these figures provide a promising foundation, Resolution cautions that these are historical estimates not compliant with current JORC reporting standards and are subject to verification through ongoing due diligence, including metallurgical testing and sampling.

The tungsten market itself is experiencing a surge, with prices reaching record highs around US$900 per metric tonne unit. This is driven by geopolitical tensions, China’s export controls, and rising demand from defence, aerospace, and emerging technologies such as AI semiconductors and lithium-ion batteries. Tungsten’s strategic importance is underscored by its critical role in military applications and advanced manufacturing.

Looking Ahead

Resolution’s near-term plans include comprehensive data compilation, ground-based sampling, geophysical surveys, and metallurgical test work on the historic stockpiles. The upcoming drilling campaign will be pivotal in confirming and expanding tungsten resources at Golden Gate and other targets within the Horse Heaven Project.

With the US government keen to reduce reliance on foreign tungsten supplies, Resolution Minerals is well-positioned to play a significant role in the domestic critical metals supply chain. The combination of expert leadership, strategic asset acquisition, and favourable market dynamics sets the stage for potentially transformative developments in the coming months.