Arizona Gold & Silver Inc. (CVE: AZS) (OTCMKTS: AZASF) has launched a 27-hole reverse circulation drilling program at its Silverton gold-antimony project in Nevada, aiming to evaluate near-surface antimony mineralization while advancing exploration of a deeper gold target.
Announced on Wednesday, the Silverton project sits along U.S. Highway 6 between Tonopah and Ely in Nye County. The company plans to drill 27 holes from 17 pads as it investigates high-grade antimony-bearing quartz-stibnite veins identified through historical and recent surface sampling.
Most holes will reach depths of 30 to 45 metres. The company designed the program to test whether the near-surface antimony mineralization could support future open-pit mining methods.
Additionally, Arizona Gold believes the antimony mineralization may represent leakage from a concealed carbonate-hosted gold system at depth. The company has interpreted geological, geochemical and geophysical data as evidence of a potential Carlin-type gold target beneath the property.
To test that theory, Arizona Gold plans to drill three deeper holes. Those holes will extend to approximately 150 metres or more and will be cased for possible future diamond drilling.
President and chief executive officer Mike Stark said the program advances a project that combines shallow antimony potential with a deeper gold opportunity in one of Nevada’s most prospective mining regions.
The company previously reported encouraging surface sampling results from Silverton. In October 2025, samples from quartz-stibnite veins returned assays grading as high as 7.95 per cent antimony.
Historical exploration also identified widespread anomalous antimony values. Furthermore, those values occur alongside gold-bearing hydrothermal alteration, strengthening the company’s exploration model.
Read more: NevGold Corp. reports antimony grades up to 53.7 per cent at Nevada project
Read more: NevGold reports more positive drill results as gold-antimony resource estimate nears
United States reclassifies antimony as a critical mineral
Interest in antimony has increased sharply over the past two years. China imposed export restrictions on the critical mineral, prompting governments and companies to seek alternative sources of supply.
According to the U.S. Geological Survey, China produced 54.5 per cent of the world’s mined antimony in 2022. Russia accounted for 18.2 per cent, while Tajikistan produced 15.5 per cent.
Antimony commonly occurs as stibnite, a sulphide mineral containing antimony and sulphur. Additionally, manufacturers use antimony trioxide in a wide range of industrial applications.
When combined with halogens such as bromine and chlorine, antimony acts as a flame retardant. It also plays a role in lead-acid batteries, glass manufacturing and ammunition alloys.
Meanwhile, the U.S. Department of the Interior classifies antimony as a critical mineral. The material supports armour-piercing ammunition, infrared sensors and precision optical systems.
Consequently, Washington has moved to secure domestic supplies as geopolitical tensions and Chinese export restrictions expose vulnerabilities in Western supply chains. The U.S. Department of Defense, the U.S. Department of Energy and the Office of Strategic Capital have launched financing programs, loan guarantees and direct investments aimed at accelerating domestic production of critical minerals, including antimony.
Several companies have emerged as potential beneficiaries of those efforts. Perpetua Resources Corp (TSE: PPTA) (NASDAQ: PPTA) is advancing its Stibnite gold-antimony project in Idaho, which could become the only domestic source of mined antimony in the United States. Additionally, Military Metals Corp. (CNSX: MILI) has assembled a portfolio of antimony assets in North America and Europe as governments seek new supply sources outside China and Russia.
Read more: NevGold launches 20,000-metre drill campaign at Nevada antimony-gold project
Read more: NevGold pushes toward potential 2027 antimony production at Limousine Butte
Antimony has evolved from a niche metal to a strategic resource
Other explorers are also positioning themselves to support future demand. NevGold Corp (CVE: NAU) (OTCMKTS: NAUFF) (FRA: 5E50) continues to advance its Limousine Butte project in Nevada, where recent drilling and sampling programs have identified significant antimony mineralization alongside gold. Furthermore, a growing number of junior mining companies across Nevada, Idaho and Alaska are re-evaluating historical antimony occurrences that received little attention when prices were lower.
As a result, antimony has evolved from a niche industrial metal into a strategic resource. Governments increasingly view domestic production as a national security priority, creating renewed interest in projects such as Silverton that combine antimony potential with exposure to gold exploration upside.
Arizona Gold shares closed unchanged Tuesday at 58 cents. The stock has traded between $1.23 and 27 cents over the past 52 weeks.
The company focuses on precious metals exploration in Arizona and Nevada. Its flagship asset is the Philadelphia gold-silver property in northwestern Arizona, where it is drilling an epithermal gold-silver system ahead of an initial resource estimate.
The Philadelphia property was discovered in the 1890s. Subsequently, miners extracted roughly 40,000 ounces of gold from 80,000 tons of ore before operations ended in the early 1930s.
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