Antimony: Lesser Known, Yet Highly Critical

Antimony: An overview

A silvery-blue metalloid element, antimony is primarily found in the mineral ore known as stibnite — a steel-gray sulfide that largely forms in hydrothermal deposits alongside gneiss, limestone and granite. In addition to stibnite, the element also occurs in over a hundred different minerals, including kermesite, argentiferous tetrahedrite, jamesonite and livingstonite. Although it is brittle and flaky, antimony is regarded for its strengthening and hardening capabilities as an alloying agent.

Antimony has a history that spans millennia. There are historical records of multiple civilizations using the element in both its metallic and sulfide form for everything from pottery to medical remedies and makeup. Records from the 15th century also indicate that antimony was used in various alchemical practises, as well as in alloys for products such as mirrors and bells.

Yet for all its applications, antimony was not generally regarded as a critical strategic resource until sometime around the 1900s. That is when the element began being used in a range of different military applications, owing to its role in the creation of tungsten steel and as a hardening agent for lead. Today, antimony is used in precision optics, night-vision goggles, armor-piercing rounds, explosives, hardened lead, ammunition primers, infrared sensors, military clothing, communications equipment and even nuclear weaponry.

The US was initially reliant on China for antimony. However, the outbreak of the Second World War saw US supply of antimony cut off by Japan. Fortunately, a stibnite mine in Central Idaho was able to cover the supply shortage, fulfilling roughly 90 percent of America's antimony requirements and producing roughly 40 percent of the required tungsten steel. Unfortunately, that mine ceased operations in 1997.

Today, China maintains a stranglehold on global antimony supply, processing nearly 80 percent of all antimony resources — despite a steadily declining share of global production.

Antimony's role in electrification

In addition to its military applications, antimony is also required to manufacture semiconductors, electric switches, fluorescent lighting, high-quality clear glass and lithium-ion batteries. Without antimony, the majority of modern technology would be impossible to produce.

This applies equally to cleantech and renewable energy. Antimony is a key element in the production of solar panels and wind turbines. Moreover, the mineral is integral to the development and production of liquid metal batteries, which look to be a reliable, safe alternative for battery power storage.

This is best exemplified by the Ambri battery platform. Backed by Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT) founder Bill Gates, the modular, containerized DC system consists of a series of high-capacity battery cells assembled into trays within an insulated and self-heating thermal enclosure. The cells make use of calcium, antimony and calcium chloride. This means that they are not only more affordable than traditional lithium-ion batteries, but are also considerably more reliable, capable of enduring tens of thousands of cycles, all while maintaining a 20-year lifespan. Ambri's fully recyclable batteries are also tolerant of both overcharging and undercharging, and they are immune to thermal runaway, electrolyte decomposition and off-gassing.

Shoring up supplies

As is the case for other critical minerals, reliance on countries such as Russia and China for antimony production is a risky prospect at best. China has, on multiple occasions, shown the propensity to wield its market dominance as a political weapon, while trade with Russia has taken a big hit following its unprovoked invasion of Ukraine.

Unfortunately, antimony is currently only mined in a few countries. According to the US Geological Survey, China remains as the largest antimony producer, accounting for 48 percent of global antimony production in 2023, followed by Tajikistan at 25 percent. And as China imposes new restrictions on antimony exports, countries around the world are increasingly motivated to look for and develop more stable and secure sources for this critical mineral.

Recognizing the emerging demand for antimony and its crucial role in the modern world, exploration companies are increasingly looking at antimony projects that can potentially yield considerable value.

Hertz Energy (CSE:HZ; OTCQB:HZLIF) is one such company. In September 2024, the company entered an option agreement to acquire Harriman antimony property in Quebec, Canada. The project comprises 49 mineral claims spanning approximately 2,500 hectares.

Harriman is an exploration-stage antimony project located approximately 17 km northeast of the town of New Richmond in the Gaspé Region of Québec. It includes the Harriman-Sud showing returning 15.35 percent antimony from a historical grab sample. This showing has had limited previous exploration and has not had any historical drilling. Hertz intends to aggressively and immediately explore the Harriman property, starting with a ground surface exploration program with the intention to advance the project towards a winter drill program.

New Zealand-based mining and exploration company Siren Gold (ASX:SNG) maintains multiple projects on the Lachlan Fold Belt in Australia. Siren’s Auld Creek prospect is particularly promising, displaying very similar mineralization to Costerfield. Gold-antimony mineralization extends from Auld Creek through two of Siren's other permits, Big River and Cumberland.

Molten Metals (CSE:MOLT) primarily targets past-producing antimony and tin resources. It currently maintains antimony projects in Slovakia and Canada.

Other players include Anchor Resources with its fully owned Bielsdown antimony project in New South Wales, and Perpetua Resources (TSX:PPTA,NASDAQ:PPTA) with its Stibnite gold project, which has the distinction of housing one of the largest-known economic reserves of antimony.

Takeaway

Although antimony may not receive as much coverage as other more popular critical minerals, it's no less important. Already essential to multiple applications within the technology and military sectors, antimony has only grown progressively more important with the transition to a cleaner, more sustainable future. Mining companies around the world are working to meet the ever-increasing demand for the mineral — and each of these companies represents a new investment opportunity.

This INNSpired article is sponsored by Hertz Energy (CSE:HZ, OTCQB:HZLIF, FSE:QE2).This INNSpired article provides information which was sourced by the Investing News Network (INN) and approved by Hertz Energyin order to help investors learn more about the company. Hertz Energy is a client of INN. The company’s campaign fees pay for INN to create and update this INNSpired article.

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