Australia-listed Resolution Minerals has announced a binding agreement to acquire three exploration projects in New South Wales and Queensland, enhancing its strategic exposure to two critical metals: antimony and gold.

The three projects are the Drake East antimony/gold project, the Neardie antimony project, and the Spur South gold/copper project. Together, these assets cover about 200 km² of prospective land, including areas with documented high-grade mineralisation.

Resolution's focus on antimony comes at a time when the metal's importance is escalating. Used in a variety of industries ranging from flame retardants and lead-acid batteries to military applications, antimony’s role is becoming increasingly pivotal. The global market for this metal, traditionally dominated by China, Russia, and Tajikistan, has been thrown into disarray following China's 2024 export ban, which has further intensified concerns about supply shortages.

The Drake East project, in New South Wales, is located in a region that has been a hotspot for high-grade mineralisation, with past sampling returning strong results, including a peak of 5.72% antimony and 60.9 g/t gold. The project spans a 15-km stretch, with multiple antimony occurrences identified across the area. Of particular interest is the Mosquito Creek reef, which hosts antimony and gold associated with a large vein system. This vein system, stretching over 1 000 m, is a key target for future exploration.

The historic Ball & Smith’s Lode in the southern half of the project area, which dates back to the 1870s, is another point of interest. Assays from past mining activities have shown high antimony content, with sample results reporting 5.72% antimony. As the project is located in a region known for both antimony and gold mineralisation, there is substantial potential to expand the resource base. Resolution’s plans for Drake East include reviewing existing data, conducting geophysical surveys, and undertaking drilling campaigns to assess the viability of reopening the mine and expanding production.

The Neardie antimony project is located near Gympie in Queensland. The area has a long history of antimony production, with past operations reporting grades ranging from 1.5% to over 5% antimony. Three historic stibnite mines are located within the project area, and much of the past mining occurred in the late 1800s. Exploration work in the 1970s indicated a promising mineralisation profile, with a bulk sample returning an average grade of 2.49% antimony. Given the high-grade nature of the mineralisation, Resolution plans to review historical data and undertake further exploration to determine the feasibility of restarting production at Neardie.

While the Neardie project focuses primarily on antimony, the Spur South gold/copper project in New South Wales offers additional exploration opportunities. Situated within the highly mineralised Macquarie Arc region, Spur South is characterised by a large magnetic anomaly that may signal the presence of significant mineralised systems similar to nearby gold and copper deposits.

Resolution executive director Aharon Zaetz said the projects offered the company a low-cost entry into the critical metals sector at a time of rising demand for antimony.

"Global demand for antimony is rising quickly, and combined with supply shortage concerns, this has resulted in record-high prices of over $50 000/t for the commodity. With these projects in hand, Resolute is now poised to create substantial value for our shareholders and advance these projects toward their full potential."

“The acquisitions are largely through the issue of share capital and represent an exceptional exploration opportunity for the company and value for the shareholders,” Zaetz added.

These acquisitions come at a crucial moment for the antimony market, with global demand expected to continue rising as the supply situation becomes increasingly strained. Resolution’s acquisitions give it an important foothold in this sector, positioning the company to benefit from the rising prices and long-term strategic importance of antimony.

In addition to its exploration activities, Resolution has announced a pro-rata non-renounceable issue for shareholders, with eligible shareholders entitled to participate in the issue of one option for every eight shares held. The options will have an exercise price of A$0.018, with an expiry date of 31 July 2028. This move provides shareholders with the opportunity to further engage with the company’s growth trajectory as it develops its assets.