American efforts to secure reliable antimony supplies have intensified as direct imports from China have dried up amid export controls and licensing requirements. Beijing imposed restrictions in 2024, including an outright ban on shipments to the U.S. that was later suspended until late 2026. Even with the pause, military-use prohibitions and approval processes limit flows, prompting Washington to source more from countries such as Tajikistan and South Korea while pushing harder for domestic capacity.
American Tungsten & Antimony Ltd (ASX: AT4) (OTCMKTS: ATALF) (FRA: 4VZ) has taken a concrete step forward to help with this shortage. The company just signed a deal to acquire the Del Sol hydrometallurgical antimony (Sb) flake refinery in Nevada and the White Spar Antimony Mine in Arizona. These assets will be paid for with an unspecified amount of cash and stock.
The permitted facility can process up to 18,500 tonnes of feed per year and recently produced electrolytic antimony flake. It will receive initial feedstock from White Spar and AT4’s Antimony Canyon project in Utah.
In simple terms, the move gives the company a ready U.S. site to turn antimony concentrates (typically mined ore with 50 per cent + Sb content) into flake, a metallic form that refiners can process further into military-spec products or derivatives such as antimony trioxide. Domestic refining options have been scarce, making this acquisition a practical addition to local supply efforts.
This builds on AT4’s ongoing advancement of its United States antimony assets, including exploration at Antimony Canyon. The firm produced its first antimony ingots early this year and currently maintains a decent cash position of US$18.4 million.
“This transaction is certainly good news for America’s economic and national security interests,” said AT4 Strategic Advisory Board Chairman and former U.S. Secretary of the Interior David Bernhardt, in a press release. “I congratulate AT4 on this important step toward the realisation of its domestic antimony and tungsten ambitions.”
We've executed a Share Sale and Purchase Agreement to acquire 100% of the Del Sol Refinery in Nevada and the White Spar Antimony Mine in Arizona.
The Del Sol Refinery is a hydrometallurgical antimony flake refinery permitted to process up to 18,500 tons of feed per year, with… pic.twitter.com/LWgcD2aIES
— American Tungsten & Antimony Ltd (ASX:AT4) (@ATAA_AT4) July 28, 2026
Read more: Strategic U.S. antimony resource emerges in NevGold’s Nevada MRE
Nevada plays a significant role
The state where the refinery resides plays a key part in these critical mineral mining and processing activities. Other players in the sector have been making their own notable contributions.
NevGold Corp (CVE: NAU) (OTCMKTS: NAUFF) (FRA: 5E50) recently released a maiden gold-antimony Mineral Resource Estimate at Limo Butte that outlines substantial near-surface oxide antimony, with some material already on historic leach pads offering potential for faster production. This site is expected to help alleviate supply woes in the near-term.
Prospecting continues elsewhere too. A2 Gold Corp (CVE: AUAU) (OTCMKTS: AUXXF) (FRA: RR7) identified district-scale antimony potential at its Taylor silver-gold project, supported by historical high-grade output. In June, Arizona Gold & Silver Inc (CVE: AZS) (OTCMKTS: AZASF) (FRA: A9J0) launched a 27-hole drill programme at Silverton to test high-grade stibnite veins near surface.
National momentum ramps up
These state-level moves align with broader U.S. initiatives. Perpetua Resources Corp (TSE: PPTA) (NASDAQ: PPTA) is actively advancing work at its Stibnite antimony-gold project in Idaho. Moreover, United States Antimony Corp (NYSE: UAMY) is currently preparing its Montana mill to expand refining.
The reasons are clear. Antimony serves essential roles in defence and industrial uses. Reliance on constrained foreign supply creates risks, so policy has tightened waiver rules for restricted sources and backed domestic projects. Companies like these continue building American options in this environment.
“Our closest US-listed peer, United States Antimony relies substantially on ore sourced from outside the United States,” stated AT4 Executive Chairman Tim Morrison. “Del Sol delivers AT4 a pathway to similar refining capability, with feed sourced from U.S. domestic sources.”
American Tungsten & Antimony aims to complete a Nasdaq uplisting by the end of this year.
Read more: NevGold Corp. reports antimony grades up to 53.7 per cent at Nevada project
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