As geopolitical uncertainty intensifies, Australia-listed Sun Silver is moving to position itself as a key participant in the supply of US-sourced antimony – a critical mineral essential to defence, technology, and clean energy.

The company’s flagship Maverick Springs silver/gold project in Nevada, long regarded for its silver potential, has emerged as a significant antimony prospect. Recent analysis confirmed widespread mineralisation across the project, with assays reaching up to 13 199 ppm (1.32%).

The US currently imports more than 90% of its antimony, primarily from China, Russia, and Tajikistan. With China controlling more than 70% of global production and recently banning exports of the mineral to the US, concerns over supply security have escalated. Russia’s involvement in global markets has also been disrupted by geopolitical tensions and sanctions, leaving the US vulnerable to critical mineral shortages.

Amid these developments, Sun Silver believes its Maverick Springs project offers an alternative.

“The identification of antimony within the Maverick Springs resource represents a fantastic strategic opportunity for Sun Silver,” said MD Andrew Dornan. 

“With the US being heavily reliant on foreign antimony supply and against the backdrop of recent export restrictions from China, our project is emerging as a potential domestic source for this critical mineral. Given the widespread distribution of the mineralisation and consistent orebody characteristics, we are optimistic about the potential to define additional antimony – and to unlock the value of that antimony alongside our large silver/gold resource.”

As part of its strategy to capitalise on this opportunity, Sun Silver is engaging with government agencies and industry stakeholders. The company is working with law firm Holland & Knight and is in discussions with the US Department of Defense (DoD) and other federal entities regarding potential funding and strategic partnerships. 

The DoD has placed a heightened focus on securing domestic sources of antimony due to its extensive use in ammunition, military batteries, and high-performance materials.

The US Strategic and Critical Materials Stockpiling Act highlights antimony as a priority for national defence, with the DoD actively allocating funds under the Defense Production Act to support projects that can enhance domestic supply security.

Sun Silver’s recent work includes re-logging, portable X-ray fluorescence testing, and re-assaying of historical drill core, much of which was previously tested only for silver and gold. Early findings indicate antimony mineralisation is widespread across the orebody, with assays exceeding 10 001 ppm (1%) in some areas.

Ongoing exploration efforts will focus on quantifying the extent of the deposit’s antimony resources and integrating them into future mineral resource estimates. Thousands of metres of untested drill core remain, providing ample opportunity for further discoveries.