Sun Silver (ASX:SS1) elevates strategic importance with major antimony discovery at Maverick Springs

Sun Silver (ASX:SS1) has made a breakthrough discovery of antimony during its inaugural drilling program at the Maverick Springs Silver-Gold Project in Nevada, USA.

The presence of this critical mineral marks a significant development for the company, positioning Maverick Springs as a project of both commercial and strategic importance in the global race for critical minerals.

Key Discovery in a Critical Mineral
While the Maverick Springs Project is known for its silver and gold potential, recent drilling results have revealed a considerable concentration of antimony, a mineral crucial for industries like defence, semiconductors, and clean energy storage.

The most notable findings came from extensional drill hole MR24-186, which returned up to 1,845ppm (0.18%) of antimony over a 41.15m interval.

These results underscore the growing significance of the Maverick Springs Project not only as a precious metal resource but as a potential source of critical minerals vital for the global economy.

Antimony is currently in short supply worldwide, with China, Russia, and Tajikistan controlling 90% of global production.

The mineral is essential for manufacturing ammunition, flame retardants, semiconductors, and energy storage batteries.

With growing geopolitical tensions and supply chain vulnerabilities, finding new, reliable sources of antimony has become a priority for many nations, especially the United States.

Maverick Springs, located in a prime mining jurisdiction, could become a key part of the USA’s strategy to reduce reliance on foreign antimony suppliers.

Strategic Importance of Antimony for the US
The discovery of antimony is particularly timely given the mineral’s critical role in US national security and technological industries.

According to the United States Geological Survey, antimony is classified as a critical mineral due to its use in military applications, including munitions and specialised equipment.

It is also essential for the clean energy transition, where it is used in semiconductors and batteries.

As demand for renewable energy storage technologies increases, antimony’s significance continues to rise.

Sun Silver’s Maverick Springs Project could help address a supply shortfall in the US. Currently, the country relies almost entirely on imports for its antimony needs, with only a small fraction coming from domestic sources.

As Gerard O’Donovan, Executive Director of Sun Silver, pointed out, “The discovery of anomalous antimony further enhances the prospectivity of the area, aligning with our strategy to unlock the full value of this asset. These results reaffirm our confidence in the future growth and success of Maverick Springs”​.

Expanding Resource Potential
Though the antimony discovery is a critical milestone, it comes alongside the continuation of high-grade silver and gold mineralisation.

The company’s drilling program successfully intersected significant silver mineralisation outside of the current resource boundary, including a 41.15m interval at 126.75g/t silver equivalent (AgEq), with a standout 13.4m at 331.76g/t AgEq​.

These results further confirm that Maverick Springs has considerable expansion potential for both silver and antimony resources.

The project’s current JORC Inferred Mineral Resource stands at 292Moz of silver equivalent, and with only 20% of the property explored, there remains significant upside for resource expansion.

Maverick Springs is located near the prolific Carlin Trend, a world-renowned mining region, adding to the project’s strategic value.

Additionally, the antimony discovery could boost Sun Silver’s long-term growth prospects, attracting interest from industries looking to secure critical mineral supply chains.

A Path Forward
With the dual focus on both precious metals and critical minerals, Sun Silver is well-positioned to benefit from rising demand for both silver and antimony.

The Maverick Springs Project is quickly proving to be a multifaceted asset with the potential to contribute to both the clean energy revolution and the growing need for critical minerals in defence technologies.

Sun Silver plans to continue its exploration program, aiming to extend both the silver and antimony resources at Maverick Springs.

The company is already assessing historical data and conducting geochemical fieldworks to further define the presence of antimony and other critical minerals within the project area.

With the US government increasingly focused on securing domestic supplies of critical minerals, Sun Silver’s antimony discovery at Maverick Springs could make the project a key asset in addressing the country’s supply chain vulnerabilities.

Moreover, the project’s location in Nevada, ranked the number one mining jurisdiction by the Fraser Institute in 2022, offers a stable and supportive environment for long-term exploration and development.

The discovery of antimony at Maverick Springs significantly enhances the project’s strategic importance.

While silver and gold remain key components of the project, antimony’s presence positions Sun Silver as a potential player in supplying critical minerals to the US market.

With only a small portion of the property explored and promising results from the initial drilling campaign, Sun Silver is on the path to unlocking even more value from Maverick Springs.

The combination of high-grade silver and antimony discoveries makes this project a standout in the company’s portfolio and a potential game-changer in the critical minerals space.

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