ReElement Technologies Expands Supply Partnership to Refine Antimony-Bearing Ore for Defense and Commercial Markets

ReElement is developing an optimized flow sheet to refine antimony(III) sulfide or antimony(III) oxide in the US for commercial and defense applications

FISHERS, IN, UNITED STATES, January 31, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- ReElement Technologies Corporation ("ReElement"), a leading provider of high-performance refining capacity of rare earth and critical battery elements, has announced the expansion of their partnership with a previously announced South African-based mineral supplier for the sourcing and refining / tolling of antimony-bearing ore to produce high-purity antimony(III) sulfide or antimony(III) oxide for applications in the battery industry, fire retardants, munitions and other high value commercial and defense sectors.

Mark Jensen, CEO of American Resources Corporation and ReElement Technologies Corporation commented, "Our approach of catalyzing and synthesizing a robust domestic supply chain through innovative, midstream refining solutions continue yield tremendous results, enabling us to effectively source critical, rare earth and other defense elements that are urgently needed in the United States and allied nations. Today, we are excited to announce our expanded partnership with an exclusive source of antimony-bearing ore feedstock. We have received and assayed the material, confirming it to be of exceptional high grade. Based on our ongoing development work, we anticipate a very cost-effective refining process to produce ultra-pure commercial products. Given our current operational focus and daily production of both light and heavy rare earth elements, along with other critical minerals in ultra-pure commercial forms, we had not initially prioritized antimony production. However, China's recent ban on exports of antimony, germanium and gallium accelerated this opportunity, allowing us to showcase the versatile, scalability and flexibility of our technology on a global scale - filling the supply gap now present in the United States and other allied nations."

Antimony(III) oxide and antimony(III) sulfide are the most commercially significant compounds of antimony and are found in various ore bodies. In 2023, the global antimony(III) oxide market was valued at approximately $852 million and is projected to grow at a CAGR of 4.9% through 2034, reaching an estimated $1.43 billion. Antimony is primarily used in flame retardants, batteries, solar panels, while its hardness makes it a critical component in missiles and ammunition.

On December 3rd, 2024 China announced a ban on exports of the critical minerals gallium, germanium and antimony to the United States, following export restrictions on antimony in September, 2024. These critical minerals have widespread roles in military applications, and the ban further escalated trade tensions just a day after Washington D.C.'s latest crackdown on China's semiconductor sector.

The partnership is initially targeting 1,000 metric tons per month of Antimony bearing ore with the potential to significantly expand such volumes based on market opportunity and offtakes.

Mark Jensen
ReElement Technologies LLC
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