Locksley Resources (ASX:LKY) eyes U.S. antimony revival through strategic Rice University tie-up

In a bold move that speaks directly to Washington’s urgent push for supply chain independence, Locksley Resources (ASX:LKY) has struck a transformative partnership with Houston based Rice University, aimed at establishing the first domestic antimony processing capacity in the United States.

Highlights

• Locksley initiates U.S. downstream strategy at Mojave Project

• Legally binding R&D collaboration with Rice University

• Dual-track research on green extraction and battery-grade materials

• US$550k investment over 12 months to advance IP and pilot work

• Addresses near-total U.S. reliance on Chinese antimony imports

• Supports executive orders on reshoring critical minerals supply chains

Currently, 90–95 per cent of refined antimony is sourced from outside the U.S. alliance network, with 79 per cent of imports coming directly from China.

Antimony is vital for national defence applications ranging from munitions to microelectronics, as well as next-generation energy storage technologies.

Locksley’s Mojave Project in California hosts the historic Desert Antimony Mine, one of the highest-grade known antimony occurrences in the country.

But the real differentiator here is the dual-pronged technical program being executed with Rice.

The collaboration’s two “Thrusts” aim to (1) develop low-energy, environmentally benign hydrometallurgical extraction techniques tailored for U.S. antimony ores, and (2) explore advanced antimony-based materials for lithium-ion and sodium-ion batteries, supercapacitors and hybrid systems.

Rice University’s Department of Materials Science & NanoEngineering brings real pedigree, having previously developed Flash Joule Heating technology with MTM Critical Minerals.

It also boasts deep ties to the U.S. Department of Energy and Department of Defense.

“This strategic collaboration with Rice University… marks a pivotal step in executing Locksley’s U.S. strategy,” said Chairman Nathan Lude.
“We are not just rapidly advancing our upstream strategy, we are helping rebuild downstream capacity through materials innovation which America urgently requires.”

Professor Pulickel M. Ajayan, who heads the Rice program, said the initiative responds to a critical national priority:

“Developing scalable, domestic pathways for antimony processing is not only a scientific and engineering challenge but also a national strategic priority.”

With no commercial antimony processing currently operating in the U.S., Locksley Resources deal with Rice puts it in pole position to access federal funding and forge strategic offtake pathways, particularly as geopolitical tension and Chinese export controls mount.

This isn’t just a mining play; it’s a supply chain reset that aligns exploration with downstream innovation and sovereign capability.

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