Canada’s only primary antimony mine remains idle despite surging demand for the strategic metal.
The Beaver Brook operation in Newfoundland and Labrador has stayed on care and maintenance while Western governments scramble for reliable supply. The mine sits about 45 kilometres southwest of Glenwood and belongs to China Minmetals, a Chinese state-owned mining group. Hunan Nonferrous Metals Corp. originally purchased the project in 2009 for about USD$29.5 million.
The asset has remained under Minmetals’ control for roughly 15 years. Antimony serves several industrial and military uses across modern economies. Manufacturers use the metal in flame retardants, lead-acid batteries, semiconductors and specialized alloys. Additionally, defense industries rely on antimony for ammunition, infrared sensors and night-vision equipment.
Beaver Brook began producing antimony concentrate in 2012 after years of development. However, the company suspended production the following year when global prices weakened. Operators restarted the mine briefly in 2019 after market conditions improved. Subsequently, Minmetals halted operations again in 2023. At full capacity, Beaver Brook could produce roughly 6,000 tonnes of antimony concentrate annually.
Analysts estimate that output could equal about five per cent of global supply. Meanwhile, governments across North America and Europe have started prioritizing critical mineral security. Western policymakers increasingly worry about dependence on foreign-controlled supply chains for key industrial metals.
Consequently, antimony has become part of a broader geopolitical race to secure strategic resources. China currently dominates the global antimony market through mining, refining and processing capacity. Beijing tightened export controls on several strategic minerals in 2024, including antimony.
Read more: NevGold’s stock growth secures junior spot on 2026 TSX Venture 50 list
Read more: NevGold discovers transformational oxide gold-antimony structure at Limousine Butte
Ottawa ordered Chinese firms to divest in 2022
These restrictions have helped ignite a dramatic rally in global prices. Western market prices climbed from about USD$13,500 per tonne in April 2024 to nearly USD$60,000 by mid-2025.
Industry analysts said the price spike triggered severe shortages across Western markets. Consequently, some manufacturers declared force majeure because they could not obtain enough antimony. Investigative journalist Sam Cooper recently drew attention to the situation surrounding Beaver Brook. His reporting pointed to broader concerns among industry observers and policymakers.
Anthony Vaccaro, president of The Northern Miner, discussed the issue during a 2025 presentation. He suggested industry insiders sometimes speculate about Beijing’s possible strategic motivations regarding the idle mine. Furthermore, some believe Chinese ownership could allow the operator to influence market prices. Vaccaro indicated that restarting Beaver Brook could add supply quickly if global prices remain elevated.
Additionally, a sudden increase in output could potentially pressure prices and discourage competing projects. Canada has taken steps to limit Chinese involvement in certain critical mineral assets.
Consequently, the Chinese-owned mine remains Canada’s only primary antimony project. Meanwhile, Western governments have accelerated efforts to rebuild domestic mineral supply chains. The United States has directed funding toward companies developing antimony production and refining capacity.
Additionally, several exploration and development firms are advancing new projects aimed at rebuilding Western supply.
NevGold Corp (CVE: NAU) (OTCMKTS: NAUFF) (FRA: 5E50) recently reported antimony mineralization alongside gold at its Limousine Butte project in Nevada.
Meanwhile, United States Antimony Corp (NYSE: UAMY) operates processing facilities in Montana and Mexico that supply the metal.
Furthermore, Perpetua Resources Corp. (NASDAQ: PPTA) (TSE: PPTA) continues advancing the Stibnite project in Idaho.
Read more: NevGold expands Bullet Zone discovery as drilling confirms oxide gold-antimony system
Read more: NevGold targets U.S. critical mineral supply chain with new antimony gold find
Governments classify antimony as strategic critical mineral
Industry analysts say Western countries face significant structural challenges rebuilding the supply chain. Mining projects often take years to permit, finance and construct. Meanwhile, refining and processing infrastructure remains heavily concentrated in China. Russia and Tajikistan also maintain large portions of global antimony production.
Additionally, analysts note that manufacturers cannot easily replace the metal in many defense applications. Substitutes exist in some industrial uses but remain limited for military technologies.
Consequently, governments increasingly classify antimony as one of the most critical strategic minerals. Artisanal mining in Myanmar recently increased global supply and softened prices from their peak. However, analysts say the market still carries substantial geopolitical risk. Industry experts argue that dormant projects like Beaver Brook could play an important role in future supply.
Meanwhile, Canada currently produces no antimony domestically while the mine remains idle.
NevGold Corp is a sponsor of Mugglehead news coverage
.
