NevGold Corp (CVE: NAU) (OTCMKTS: NAUFF) (FRA: 5E50) has mobilized a drill rig to its historic leach pads at the Limousine Butte Project in Nevada. This key step advances the company’s near-term antimony production plans.
With permits now secured as of Mar. 12, crews are moving equipment on site for targeted drilling and testing.
Phase 1 sampling already returned strong antimony grades of 0.74 per cent to 0.81 per cent in priority zones at the run-of-mine pad. NevGold is targeting a Mineral Resource Estimate early in Q2 this year to quantify the site’s resources and support antimony metal production, anticipated to begin in 2027.
The project stands out as one of the few near-term, at-surface antimony opportunities in the United States. As a brownfield site with pre-stacked material, it delivers high-grade mineralization without third-party smelters.
Acid leaching has been selected as the best method at the project, capable of achieving up to 92 per cent recovery and allowing on-site antimony metal production similar to copper processing. This technique has a minimal impact on gold recovery, enabling NevGold to extract both commodities efficiently.
With antimony classified as critical for national security, military uses and clean energy, NevGold could help bolster U.S. supply chains amid challenges like China’s export restrictions.
Reprocessing existing heap leach pads shortens timelines compared to new exploration. This lower-risk path positions NevGold for faster market entry and revenue generation.
Image via NevGold
Read more: NevGold’s stock growth secures junior spot on 2026 TSX Venture 50 list
Antimony demand surges in the U.S.
The metalloid has become an increasingly imperative necessity in the country due to its vital role in munitions, flame retardants, batteries and cutting-edge defence technologies.
A major catalyst has been China’s lingering 2024 export restrictions, which have severely limited international access to this critical mineral and driven up urgency for U.S. self-reliance. In response, the March 2025 U.S. Executive Order ramped up efforts to boost domestic production.
Most recently, the government’s commitment to at-home antimony (Sb) production was showcased when the Department of War committed US$27 million to United States Antimony Corp (NYSE: UAMY), enabling expansions in Alaska extraction and Montana refining to assist with creating a fully integrated domestic supply chain.
This strategic mineral investment not only strengthened the company’s operations but also propelled its successful graduation to the NYSE. Rising UAMY shares and an expanding market cap reflect robust investor enthusiasm in the sector and demand for materials essential in defence applications.
Other industry players are accelerating their progress amid this momentum too. Locksley Resources Ltd (OTCMKTS: LKYRF) (ASX: LKY) (FRA: X5L) has garnered up to US$191 million in potential support from the Export-Import Bank for its Mojave Sb project in California. This company recently produced the first 100 per cent American antimony ingot in over two decades.
Similarly, American Tungsten & Antimony Ltd (OTCMKTS: ATALF) (FRA: 4VZ) has started delivering ingots from Utah stockpiles and is gearing up for a Nasdaq listing by Q2 2026, further solidifying the sector’s rapid advancement.
Compounding these developments, escalating U.S.-Iran tensions have intensified demand as military operations inevitably deplete stockpiles.
Ongoings like these underscore the momentum in the American sector and critical need for new production assets like NevGold is currently pursuing.
NevGold gets recognized on TSX Venture 50
The junior developer secured spot number 38 on the 2026 TSX Venture 50 list among top performers. This year, the majority of the cohort are involved in the mining industry.
This ranking rewards exceptional prior-year results. NevGold’s share price rose 330 per cent and market cap surged 515 per cent in 2025, driven by oxide gold-antimony progress at Limousine Butte.
Recent headway at the Nutmeg Mountain gold operation in Idaho is another factor. In September, NevGold released a significantly improved mineral resource estimate at the project.
Outperforming most of the 1,500+ TSX-V issuers, this achievement signals strong momentum, investor confidence and solid execution. In a mining-heavy list, it highlights NevGold’s potential as the company transitions from resource development to production.
“There is a clear mandate in the United States to find near-term production from a number of critical minerals,” said NevGold CEO Brandon Bonifacio, “and we have one of those opportunities which we are rapidly advancing.”
Read more: NevGold discovers transformational oxide gold-antimony structure at Limousine Butte
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