With the US metals market roiled by new policy and trade shifts, American Pacific Mining finds itself in a strategically advantageous position. The Vancouver-based company, which owns copper assets in Montana and Alaska, is preparing to leverage growing domestic demand as Washington considers further restrictions on metal imports.

President Donald Trump has announced plans to impose a 25% tariff on all steel and aluminum imports, while also threatening levies on imported copper. 

The policy move has already sent domestic copper prices soaring, with buyers scrambling to secure supplies ahead of potential trade barriers. Premiums for US copper futures have surged this week to levels not seen since early 2020, underscoring concerns about supply security in one of the world’s most copper-reliant economies.

American Pacific CEO Warwick Smith said in a statement on Thursday that these developments were a validation of the company's strategic focus. “The current market dynamics and US policy trends underscore the strategic value of our US-based copper assets,” Smith said.

“With projects like our Madison copper/gold project in Montana and Palmer copper/zinc project in Alaska, we are well-positioned to potentially supply the growing domestic demand for copper, a critical metal for the US economy and clean energy transition."

American Pacific’s flagship Palmer project has emerged as a standout asset, boasting high-grade copper intercepts. Last year, the company reported drill results that included 43.8 m grading 6.54% copper, 3.15% zinc, 0.42 g/t gold, and 27.97 g/t silver (8.22% copper equivalent), along with 37.1 m grading 4.57% copper, 8.44% zinc, 0.50 g/t gold, and 29.33 g/t silver (8.40% copper equivalent). The company recently published an updated mineral resource estimate reflecting a substantial increase in contained copper. The Palmer project now holds 4.77-million tonnes of indicated resources grading 1.69% copper and 5.17% zinc, reinforcing its significance as a domestic supplier.

In Montana, American Pacific’s Madison project is another high-grade play. Previously a small-scale producer, Madison yielded 2.7-million pounds of copper at grades ranging from 20% to 30% in the early 2000s. More recent drilling has confirmed a larger mineralised system, including a 75.13-m zone averaging 0.98% copper and select intercepts reaching up to 40.03% copper over 8.47 m.

Backed by $16-million in cash, American Pacific is advancing exploration at both sites. The company is set to launch a Phase 2, 3 000-m drill programme at Madison in March, with additional drilling campaigns targeting deeper regional copper zones later this year.