The Race for Critical Minerals Is Heating Up - Antimony and Gold Could Be Major Beneficiaries

NEW YORK, Oct. 21, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Antimony is becoming a much bigger part of the conversation around critical minerals, defense spending and supply-chain security. It is used in ammunition, specialized alloys, flame-retardant materials and other industrial applications, yet global supply remains heavily concentrated. That creates a challenge for governments and manufacturers — and a potential opening for mining companies capable of bringing new sources to market. Grand View Research estimated the global antimony market at approximately $2.17 billion in 2023 and projected it could reach $3.3 billion by 2030. Meanwhile, an Australian government industry report projected global antimony demand could climb from roughly 83,000 metric tons in 2024 to 191,000 metric tons by 2030. If those trends hold, reliable supplies could become even more valuable. For exploration and development companies, the opportunity is clear: a deposit with promising grades, strong recovery potential and a realistic path to production could attract attention from investors, industrial buyers and strategic partners. The challenge is turning that potential into a commercially viable operation. Opening opportunity for those looking at resource security and long-term value for active miners that may include Military Metals Corp. (OTCQB: MILIF) (CSE: MILI), Perpetua Resources Corp. (NASDAQ: PPTA) (TSX: PPTA), United States Antimony Corporation (NYSE American: UAMY), MP Materials Corp. (NYSE: MP), Trilogy Metals Inc. (NYSE American: TMQ). Gold brings another important element to the picture. Investors have long turned to gold during periods of economic uncertainty, and central-bank buying, geopolitical tensions and changing expectations for interest rates continue to influence the market. For mining companies, a stronger gold price can improve the economics of a deposit and make projects that were previously difficult to develop more attractive. Now consider a project that contains both gold and antimony. It may offer exposure to two different sources of demand: gold as a precious metal and antimony as a mineral important to industry and defense. That combination could help distinguish a project from conventional gold exploration plays, particularly as governments look to secure supplies of strategically important materials. For investors, the real opportunity lies in finding companies with the resources, technical results and development plans to turn that story into measurable value. Exploration results, verified mineral resources, permitting, financing and production costs still matter enormously. A compelling mineral story is a starting point, not a guarantee of a profitable mine. Five Reasons Critical Minerals, Antimony and Gold Deserve Investor Attention: Growing Strategic Importance: Antimony is essential to multiple industrial and defense applications, putting secure supply chains increasingly in focus as governments pursue critical-mineral independence. Billions in Projected Market Growth: The global antimony market is forecast to grow from approximately $2.17 billion in 2023 to $3.3 billion by 2030, according to Grand View Research. Gold's Safe-Haven Appeal: Central-bank demand, geopolitical uncertainty and investor interest in portfolio protection continue to influence gold's investment outlook. Potential Dual-Metal Exposure: Projects containing both gold and antimony may offer exposure to precious-metal demand and strategic industrial-mineral markets, subject to verified resources and economic feasibility. Potential for Significant Project Revaluation: Successful exploration results, expanded mineral resources, permitting progress, strategic partnerships and production agreements can strengthen a mining company's development prospects. However, these milestones do not guarantee commercial production or share-price appreciation. Market projections are estimates, not guarantees. The antimony market figures refer to the overall industry, not the revenue potential of any single mining company. Exploration-stage investments carry significant geological, financing, permitting and commodity-price risks. Military Metals Announces Reinstatement and Four-Year Extension of Trojarova Antimony-Gold Exploration License in Slovakia - Military Metals Corp. (CSE: MILI) (OTCQB: MILIF) (FSE: QN90) (the “Company” or “MILI”) is pleased to announce that, following the reversal of the cancellation of the exploration license for its flagship Trojárová Antimony-Gold Project in Slovakia (the “Trojárová Project“), the relevant regulatory authority in The Slovak Republic has issued a decision extending the exploration license (the “Trojárová License“) for a further four-year term expiring on October 18, 2030 (the “Extension Decision“). The Extension Decision confirms the continued validity of the Trojárová License following the reversal of its cancellation. The Company strengthens Slovak leadership, community engagement and scientific cooperation to advance responsible antimony development in Europe. The decision provides the Company with a renewed foundation to advance Trojárová, which hosts an inferred mineral resource of 6.5 million tonnes grading 1.02% antimony and 1.06 g/t gold, containing approximately 67,000 tonnes of antimony and 222,000 ounces of gold. On May 28, 2026, the Company received an unscheduled review and formal decision from the Ministry of the Environment of the Slovak Republic cancelling the Trojárová License. The Company did not accept the cancellation decision and pursued all legal avenues available to it, including an appeal to the Minister of the Environment of the Slovak Republic. On October 2, 2026, the Company received a decision from the Ministry of the Environment of The Slovak Republic (the “Annulment Decision“) annulling the cancellation decision and reinstating the Trojárová License. The Trojárová License was reinstated with a remaining term expiring on October 18, 2026. The authority issued also the Extension Decision, extending the Trojárová License for a four-year term expiring on October 18, 2030. The Company is very pleased with this outcome, which resolves the uncertainty that has surrounded the Trojárová License since the cancellation decision was issued in May 2026, and confirms the Company’s right to continue exploration activities on the Trojárová Project for the next four years. Clear Commitment to Slovakia - Thomas Hüser, Executive Chairman stated: “This decision gives us the continuity needed to move Trojárová forward with confidence and a clear commitment to Slovakia.” “We thank the collective authorities for their constructive, fair and professional cooperation. Our ambition is to combine the development of an important European antimony resource with strong local partnerships, scientific expertise and responsible environmental management. Trust must be built through open communication and practical action.” Scott Eldridge, CEO stated: “The reinstatement of the Trojárová exploration license is an important milestone for Military Metals and provides a renewed path forward for our flagship European antimony project. We are focused on building on the technical work completed to date and advancing Trojárová responsibly, with the objective of unlocking its potential as a significant source of antimony for European and allied markets.” “Europe has significant antimony supply-chain exposure because it lacks meaningful domestic mine production and depends heavily on external suppliers for its raw-material needs. We intend to progress the project responsibly and systematically towards the next permitting milestones.” Advancing the Pathway Towards Mining Authorization - Military Metals has already initiated discussions with authorities and Slovakia’s Ministry of Economy regarding the pathway from exploration to a full mining and production authorization. These discussions will address the technical, environmental and administrative requirements for the next stages of development. Continued…Read this full release along with full notes, images and comments for Military Metals by visiting: https://www.militarymetalscorp.com/news/ Other recent developments in the mining markets include: Perpetua Resources Corp. (Nasdaq: PPTA) recently provided an update on construction and exploration progress at its Stibnite Gold Project (the “Project”) in central Idaho. With federal approvals secured in 2025 and early works and critical path construction activities continuing through the summer and into the fall, the Company is pleased to share recent progress with stakeholders. “We continue to make progress on multiple fronts, including construction of Burntlog Route and worker housing, development of transmission line infrastructure, and expanding our drill program,” said Jon Cherry, President and CEO of Perpetua Resources. “This progress reflects the dedication of every member of the Perpetua Resources team and the partners working alongside us to explore, construct, and restore the site while strengthening America’s supply of critical minerals.” MP Materials Corp. (NYSE: MP) will release its financial results for the third quarter ended September 30, 2026, after the U.S. markets close on Thursday, November 5, 2026. MP Materials’ management will host a conference call and webcast that afternoon at 2:00 p.m. Pacific Time (5:00 p.m. Eastern Time). Prior to the conference call and webcast, MP Materials will issue a press release and post a slide presentation at https://investors.mpmaterials.com/. Conference Call Details: Event: MP Materials Q3 2026 Financial Results Conference Call and Webcast Date: Thursday, November 5, 2026 Time: 2:00 p.m. Pacific Time (5:00 p.m. Eastern Time) Webcast: https://investors.mpmaterials.com/ Replay: A webcast replay will be available approximately one hour after the call has concluded. United States Antimony Corporation (NYSE:UAMY), a leading producer and processor of antimony, zeolite, and other critical minerals, and the only fully integrated antimony company in the world outside of China and Russia, announced recently an update on the Company's Third Quarter delivery of Military Specification (MIL-SPEC) antimony ingot shipments to the Defense Logistics Agency ("DLA") under its existing $245 million sole-source supply contract. USAC is the sole producer of MIL-SPEC (>99.6% pure) antimony ingots in the Western Hemisphere. Antimony flake feedstock deliveries to USAC related to the Company's contractual offtake agreements from its joint partner's Bolivian Hydrometallurgical ("Hydromet") facility have occurred and landed at the Thompson Falls smelter(s) during the third quarter. Due to its high purity (~99%), antimony flake will significantly improve the efficiency of our gas-fired furnaces. Mr. Gary C. Evans, Chairman and CEO of USAC stated, "As our receipt of acceptable antimony material continues to increase from foreign sources along with our expanded processing capability at our new facility located in Thompson Falls, Montana, our ability to continue increasing our antimony ingot deliveries to the DLA is occurring. This is the first period in our company's nearly 60 year history that we are fulfilling a significant and extremely important delivery of a finished product so vitally necessary to our military for use in many different products. Additionally, now that we have begun processing the Stibnite Hill, Montana, antimony material mined late last year and this year, which now totals in excess of 400,000 pounds of antimony and is presently located in stockpile at Radersburg, Montana; new low-cost USAC antimony feed material will begin further improving our finished product margins." Trilogy Metals Inc. (NYSE American: TMQ) recently announced that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (“USACE”) has published a Notice of Intent (“NOI”) to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (“EIS”) for the Company’s flagship Arctic Project in northwestern Alaska’s Ambler Mining District. Publication of the NOI formally initiates the environmental review of the project under the National Environmental Policy Act (“NEPA”) and launches the public scoping phase. The high-grade Arctic Copper-Zinc-Lead-Gold-Silver Project is being advanced by Ambler Metals LLC (“Ambler Metals”), Trilogy’s 50/50 joint venture with South32 Limited. The NOI is the first key federal milestone on the coordinated federal and state permitting schedule published on the Federal Permitting Improvement Steering Council’s (the “Permitting Council”) Permitting Dashboard at permits.performance.gov in July 2026. With the NOI published, the USACE has commenced the public scoping process, during which the agency invites comments from the public, local residents, regional organizations, Tribes, and other stakeholders to help identify the significant issues and reasonable alternatives to be analyzed in the EIS. 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