Locksley Resources (ASX:LKY | OTCQX:LKYRF | FSE:X5L) casts America’s first domestic antimony ingot in decades

In a development that aligns squarely with Washington’s critical minerals agenda, Locksley Resources (ASX:LKY | OTCQX:LKYRF | FSE:X5L) has produced the first 100 per cent American-made antimony ingot in decades, re-establishing a mine-to-metal supply chain entirely within U.S. borders.

The milestone positions the company at the centre of renewed efforts to secure domestic sources of materials vital to defence and advanced manufacturing.

Highlights

• First U.S.-sourced and refined antimony metal produced in decades

• Ore extracted from the Mojave Desert Antimony Mine in California and refined by Hazen Research in Colorado

• Validates a fully domestic mine-to-metal supply chain independent of Chinese processing

• Supports U.S. government objectives to rebuild strategic materials self-sufficiency

• Pilot-scale production underway to confirm scalability for commercial supply

The achievement underscores a rare success in the broader geopolitical drive to rebuild Western control over critical minerals supply.

Locksley’s ore was mined from its Mojave Desert Antimony Mine in California and refined by Hazen Research, one of America’s leading metallurgical laboratories.

The result is proof that domestic sourcing and refining of antimony, a metal essential for defence alloys, semiconductors, and energy storage technologies, is achievable within U.S. borders.

Locksley Resources Chief Executive Kerrie Matthews described the event as a pivotal moment in the company’s evolution and in the national conversation on materials security.

“This is a defining milestone for Locksley and the United States. The successful casting of the first 100 per cent American-made antimony ingot in decades demonstrates mine-to-metal production is not only possible but is already underway,” she said.

The breakthrough coincides with heightened bilateral engagement between the Australian and U.S. governments, as both seek to fortify allied supply chains for critical minerals.

Prime Minister Albanese’s scheduled visit to Washington for talks with President Trump is expected to emphasise joint initiatives supporting domestic production and allied collaboration across materials deemed essential for strategic manufacturing and defence.

For Locksley, the validation of a U.S.-based mine-to-metal pathway represents both a technical and political turning point.

The company, supported by Washington-based advisory group GreenMet, is advancing toward pilot-scale operations to confirm scalability and prepare for offtake discussions with U.S. industrial and defence customers.

GreenMet Chief Executive Drew Horn called the result “a national milestone,” noting that it embodies the type of outcome policymakers have been pushing for in recent years.

Locksley’s Mojave Project, comprising more than 490 claims across California’s desert region, also borders ground held by MP Materials, the country’s primary producer of rare earths.

The project’s dual focus on rare earths and antimony provides a strategic foothold in a region with clear geological continuity and existing infrastructure, and with the United States currently relying almost entirely on imports, chiefly from China and Russia, for its antimony needs, Locksley’s progress takes on heightened relevance.

The company’s next phase will include establishing a pilot plant in the United States, refining metallurgical parameters, and engaging directly with government and industry stakeholders to qualify its product for defence and industrial use.

The wider implication is a gradual but discernible shift toward allied control of key mineral supply chains, and while the road to commercial production will require careful navigation through permitting, funding, and process optimisation, Locksley’s proof-of-concept signals a tangible start.

If successful at scale, the initiative could restore a domestic industry that has lain dormant for nearly a century and reframe the U.S. as more than a consumer in the global critical minerals race.

For now, the Mojave ingot stands as both a technical proof and a symbolic marker of renewed industrial ambition.

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