Antimony has also become increasingly strategic because of its use in military equipment, such as infrared missiles, nuclear weapons and night vision goggles, and as a hardening agent for bullets and tanks.

The most commonly mined ore is called stibnite, which contains antimony and sulphur. Antimony can also be a byproduct of gold mining.

Geologica’s Titan and Topley properties have shown anomalous concentrations of Antimony in conjunction with Copper and Gold mineralization.

Antimony Supply

Prior to the buildup to the War, the United States was almost entirely dependent on China for its supply of antimony. When that supply was cut off by Japan, America had to find another source of this key mineral. Fortunately for the U.S. at that time, a gold mine in central Idaho called the Stibnite mine was able to step up production of the antimony that is an element in the mine’s ore and helped fill the void. The mine was shut down in 1997.

Today, the west finds itself once again wholly reliant on other countries for its antimony needs, most heavily China and to a lesser extent, Russia. As Christopher Ecclestone, Mining Strategist at London-based Hallgarten & Company, said during a webinar, “as recently as a few years ago, China produced as much as 80% of the world’s supply of antimony. But years of over-production of its key mines, along with lingering low commodity prices have reduced China’s share of global production.”

As tensions between the U.S. and China continue rising, so do concerns about the ultimate source of that supply.

Obviously, the West needs to develop domestic supplies of this critical mineral, but where will it come from? Exploration companies like Geologica, focused on Copper/Gold exploration projects enhanced with Antimony seek to fill this supply gap.

China’s Role in the Antimony Supply

China is the largest producer of antimony, accounting for 48% of mine production in 2023, followed by Tajikistan at 25%, U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) data showed. In China, antimony reserves are concentrated in Guangxi, Hunan and Gansu provinces. China is also the biggest producer of processed antimony, including antimony trioxide (ATO), which is traditionally used in flame retardants and increasingly as a clarifying agent in solar glass.

Consultancy Project Blue said China had also been the biggest exporter of antimony ingots, with purity above 99%, but as Chinese production of solar cells has surged, more ingot is consumed domestically.

China’s exports of unwrought antimony, including ingot, fell 45% year-on-year in the first half of 2024 to 1,694 metric tons, customs data showed. Imports of antimony to the USA dropped by 95% in October 2024.

ANTIMONY SUPPLY IS VERY TIGHT

Known antimony reserves can meet demand for about 24 years, far less than known reserves of rare earths, lithium and other metals, though slightly more than for silver, USGS data showed.

China is the biggest antimony ore producer, however production has declined to 40,000 tons in 2023 from 61,000 tons in 2020 as a result of falling ore grades and more stringent environmental requirements.

Despite its dominance in ore output, China is a net importer of antimony concentrates and depends on ore from countries including Thailand, Myanmar and Russia.

Russia was once a major antimony concentrate exporter to China, but its supply fell sharply this year as major producer Polyus’ output declined. Export duty and mineral extraction tax also made shipping the material overseas less attractive.

“There is no pipeline of supply to turn on,” said Christopher Ecclestone, a principal and mining strategist at Hallgarten & Company in London.

China has accounted for more than 70% of ATO production globally since 2022, said Project Blue.

Outside China, processing capacity is limited.

The market is also tight because of increased demand from the solar and military sectors, with a deficit estimated at 10,000 tons in May by Project Blue. The shortfall could widen after the latest Chinese restrictions.