Locksley Resources (ASX:LKY | OTCQX:LKYRF | FSE:X5L) fast-tracks U.S. antimony production plans

Locksley Resources has taken a major step toward restoring America’s antimony supply chain, advancing development planning for the historic Desert Antimony Mine in California as part of its broader U.S. Mine-to-Market strategy.

The company’s work program now shifts from exploration to early-stage development, positioning Locksley among the few companies capable of delivering a fully domestic mine-to-metal antimony supply chain.

Highlights

• Development planning underway for extraction, pilot plant processing, and permitting
• 325 kg bulk sample returns high-grade results of 7.6 to 7.8 percent antimony
• Flotation testwork underway following prior results producing a 68.1 percent concentrate
• Exploration Target defined at 772,000 to 1,382,000 tonnes grading 2.5 to 4.9 percent Sb (JORC 2012)
• Supported by a US$191 million EXIM Bank Letter of Interest to progress U.S. critical minerals financing

The Desert Antimony Mine, located within the Mojave Project in California, has emerged as Locksley’s focal point in re-establishing American antimony production.

The project’s historical workings, which last operated in 1937, are being redeveloped with a renewed focus on supplying U.S. defence and energy sectors seeking secure domestic sources of critical minerals.

Recent technical milestones underpin this advancement, with a LiDAR underground survey mapping approximately 236 metres of historical workings that confirmed structural stability and provided detailed geological modelling to support safe re-entry and phased mine development.

These findings, combined with metallurgical and geological studies, have enabled Locksley to define an Exploration Target containing between 19,400 and 67,700 tonnes of antimony metal, reported in accordance with the JORC Code (2012).

Bulk sampling results have validated the quality of mineralisation at the Desert Antimony Mine, with a 325 kilogram sample returning head grades of 7.6 to 7.8 percent antimony and flotation testwork now underway using parameters established in prior metallurgical trials that produced a 68.1 percent premium concentrate.

These results not only support the technical viability of the project but also underpin Locksley’s downstream processing strategy, including collaborations with Hazen Research and Rice University.

Incorporating these developments, internal modelling indicates an upper conceptual estimate of approximately 1.02 million ounces at 22.9 grams per tonne gold equivalent and a lower range of about 290,000 ounces at 11.7 grams per tonne.

The calculations assume conservative reductions to strike, depth, and grade, leaving substantial scope for future resource expansion without the need to test additional targets or strike extensions.

Locksley Resources downstream strategy aligns closely with U.S. policy initiatives to rebuild domestic processing capabilities for critical materials.

The company’s collaboration with Rice University involves the development of advanced extraction technology using DeepSolv, while its memorandum of understanding with Hazen Research provides a U.S. base for refining and processing.

Together, these efforts support the establishment of a fully integrated supply chain capable of producing antimony for industrial and defence applications.

“This is a pivotal moment for Locksley, marking the rapid advancement towards the Company becoming a Developer, with an end-to-end supply chain strategy from Mine-to-Metal. All technical steps, from establishing the exploration target, to achieving the 68.1% concentrate grade and to evaluating the underground workings aligns with this strategy,”

said Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer Kerrie Matthews.

The company’s next steps include completing permitting with the Bureau of Land Management, progressing definitive financing discussions with the Export-Import Bank of the United States, and advancing engineering and design studies to prepare for pilot plant operations in 2026.

Locksley Resources’ progress comes at a time when the United States has no domestic antimony production despite its strategic importance in alloys, semiconductors, and defence systems.

As geopolitical and industrial demand for secure critical mineral supply chains intensifies, the redevelopment of the Desert Antimony Mine places the company in a unique position to contribute directly to U.S. resource independence.

With technical confidence established, financing frameworks in motion, and federal policy momentum supporting domestic sourcing, Locksley Resources is transitioning from explorer to developer.

The company’s integrated mine-to-market approach, anchored by tangible milestones and credible partnerships, strengthens its position as a leading participant in the revival of U.S. antimony production.

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