Earlier this week, the Federal Government shed more light on its proposed $1.2 billion Critical Minerals Reserve, with Resources Minister Madeleine King revealing they'd be stockpiling critical minerals, including specifically antimony, gallium, and rare earths elements.
Ms King said the reserve would "help attract further investment and help the sector deal with potential future market disruptions".
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Give these stocks a once over
I've had a look at some of the players in the antimony field, which might be worth a look now that the government will be intervening in a positive way in the sector.
One company that issued a press release on Thursday welcoming the new strategic reserve is Southern Cross Gold Consolidated Ltd (ASX: SX2).
As the company said in their release, their Sunday Creek project was well-placed to be a supplier:
The company welcomes this landmark initiative which recognizes the strategic importance of securing domestic antimony supply for Australia and its allies. Sunday Creek, located just 60km north of Melbourne in Victoria, represents one of the most significant undeveloped gold-antimony deposits in the Western world and stands ready to support Australia's critical minerals security objectives.
The company said construction had started on an exploration decline at the project, and Chief Executive Officer Michael Hudson was touting Victoria's historical strength in the sector.
Victoria has always been Australia's antimony state. Antimony has historically been Victoria's second most important metal after gold, with a heritage stretching back to the 1860s. During World War I, central Victoria's Costerfield mines were critical suppliers of antimony for British munitions. Today, Victoria remains Australia's only antimony-producing state.
Another company with a well-timed release out on Wednesday was Resolution Minerals Ltd (ASX: RML), which reported new high-grade antimony and silver samples from its Antimony Ridge project, albeit in the US in this case.
These samples were taken from within historically-mined areas at the project, and the company said the results "reinforce the potential for Antimony Ridge to host a high-grade, strategically significant U.S antimony system''.
New South Wales focus
Back home in Australia, and Larvotto Resources Ltd (ASX: LRV) is aiming to bring its Hillgrove gold and antimony project in New South Wales into production this year.
It's a substantial project, as the company says on its website:
Hillgrove is poised to become Australia's largest producer of antimony, expected to produce 7% of global antimony requirements when global supply is tightening and Western governments are prioritising strategic supply chains. Hillgrove has been mined for antimony and gold since 1857. With a rich history within the region, Hillgrove continues to provide residential employment opportunities and support for local business and communities.
And finally, Black Cat Syndicate Ltd (ASX: BC8) announced in October that new drilling had found visible antimony in the first four holes drilled at its Mt Clement project, which it said is "one of Australia's largest and highest-grade antimony projects'' with a resource of 13,200 tonnes at a grade of 1.7%.
The company at the time said it had appointed a manager to drive the project faster, "given the strong demand and pricing for antimony''.
