United States Antimony Corporation Affirms Commitment to U.S. Critical Minerals Supply Chain Amid Market Shifts and Trade Policy Developments

Rhea-AI Summary

United States Antimony Corporation (NYSE:UAMY) reaffirms its position in supporting US critical minerals independence as North America's only operator of two antimony smelters. The company is preparing to begin excavation of previously mined antimony resources in Alaska, alongside remediation efforts.

Despite a recent 90-day US-China tariff reduction agreement, China's export ban on critical minerals, including antimony, remains in effect. This ban, implemented in September 2024, caused antimony prices to surge over five times. Additionally, while a new Executive Order instituted a 10% universal tariff on imported goods, antimony was specifically exempted due to its critical importance to national security.

USAC, with operations in Montana and Mexico, is strategically positioned to help the US secure its antimony supply chain through domestic processing and the recovery of high-grade materials from Alaska.

Positive

• Company operates North America's only two antimony smelters
• Planned expansion into Alaska for recovery of high-grade antimony deposits
• Exemption from recent 10% universal import tariffs
• Strategic position to benefit from antimony price surge (5x increase)
• Established operational presence in Montana and Mexico

Negative

• Heavy dependence on foreign antimony supply due to China's export ban
• Volatile market conditions due to trade restrictions
• Stock potentially affected by market misconceptions according to CEO

Insights

Critical Minerals Supply Chain Analyst

UAMY confirms strategic position in domestic antimony supply amid China export ban and soaring prices, with exemption from new US tariffs.

This press release reveals critical strategic positioning for United States Antimony Corporation within an increasingly complex geopolitical landscape for critical minerals. UAMY operates North America's only two antimony smelters - a significant competitive advantage as global antimony supply chains face substantial disruption. The company's planned excavation of previously mined antimony in Alaska represents a strategic domestic resource recovery initiative aligned with critical minerals security goals.

The most significant market dynamic highlighted is that China's antimony export ban remains in place despite recent tariff agreements between the US and China. This export restriction from the world's primary antimony producer has created a profound supply gap, driving prices to surge over five times since the ban's implementation in September 2024. For context, antimony is crucial for military applications (ammunition, armor), flame retardants, lead-acid batteries, and semiconductor manufacturing.

UAMY's exemption from the recent 10% universal import tariff (established April 2, 2025) provides the company with a protected market position. This regulatory support demonstrates the strategic importance government places on securing domestic antimony supply chains. While the company faces near-term operational costs in Alaska remediation and excavation projects, the extraordinary price environment potentially transforms the economics of previously marginal resources.

The CEO's comments regarding "unsophisticated investors" mistakenly affecting the company's stock suggests recent volatility in share price despite fundamentals remaining unchanged. This indicates potential market disconnects between trader perception and underlying business operations in the critical minerals sector. UAMY's vertical integration strategy across processing and now resource recovery positions it as one of few companies capable of delivering domestically processed antimony amid persistent supply constraints.

"The Critical Minerals and ZEO Company"

DALLAS, TX / ACCESS Newswire / May 19, 2025 / United States Antimony Corporation ("USAC," "US Antimony," the "Company"), (NYSE:UAMY), operating North America's only two antimony smelters which have been processing antimony for decades, reaffirms its longstanding commitment to supporting the United States' need for critical minerals independence. As the company prepares to begin excavation of previously mined and discarded antimony resources in Alaska, along with the remediation of these previously mined areas, USAC remains firmly aligned with federal efforts to both increase and strengthen domestic supply chains for critical materials essential to national defense and industrial resilience.

Recent U.S.-China Tariff Agreement Does Not Affect Export Ban

Last Monday, May 12, 2025, the world's two largest economies, the United States and China, reached a 90-day agreement to reduce certain extraordinarily high tariffs between the two countries, this agreement does not reverse or impact China's ongoing export ban on critical minerals, including antimony. The ban associated with antimony occurred in September of last year, prior to this administration taking office. That policy remains firmly in place and continues to restrict the availability of Chinese antimony for U.S. buyers. As a result, the U.S. remains without access to its former primary antimony source, further reinforcing the urgency of scaling domestic supply chain capabilities, which USAC is doing. In the wake of the ban last year, prices for antimony surged over five times and the strategic importance of developing alternative domestic sources was further underscored.

Antimony Remains Exempt from Recent U.S. Tariffs

On April 2, 2025, President Trump issued an Executive Order instituting a universal 10% tariff on all imported goods, with additional reciprocal tariffs on imports from 57 countries. However, recognizing antimony's criticality to U.S. national security, Section 3(b) of the executive order explicitly exempted antimony and several other critical minerals from these new tariffs.

USAC supports this exemption as a logical and necessary protection for a mineral that is vital to military and energy infrastructure. The exemption ensures continued economic viability for U.S.-based processors and end users of antimony amid broader shifts in international trade policy.

USAC Positioned to Lead Domestic Response

With an established operational base in Montana and Mexico and near-term plans to recover high-grade, previously mined materials in Alaska, USAC is uniquely positioned to continue assisting the United States reassert control over its critical antimony supply chain. USAC continues to support federal initiatives that prioritize domestic sourcing, reduced foreign dependency, and supply chain security.

"We are proud to contribute to the U.S. mission of expanding that role with increased processing capability, and restoring secure, domestic access to antimony," said Gary C. Evans, Chairman and CEO. "Our operations have and continue to play a central role in the U.S. antimony supply chain, and we are expanding that role with the recovery of our own strategic, previously mined deposits of ore located in Alaska to help reduce this foreign dependence. The dramatic price increase experienced with antimony over the last nine months has continued over the last week. Unsophisticated investors have mistakenly lumped a number of critical mineral companies like UAMY in the same pot. Nothing in our business has changed whatsoever."

About USAC:

United States Antimony Corporation and its subsidiaries in the U.S., Mexico, and Canada ("USAC," "U.S. Antimony," the "Company," "Our," "Us," or "We") sell antimony, zeolite, and precious metals primarily in the U.S. and Canada. The Company processes third party ore primarily into antimony oxide, antimony metal, antimony trisulfide, and precious metals at its facilities located in Montana and Mexico. Antimony oxide is used to form a flame-retardant system for plastics, rubber, fiberglass, textile goods, paints, coatings, and paper, as a color fastener in paint, and as a phosphorescent agent in fluorescent light bulbs. Antimony metal is used in bearings, storage batteries, and ordnance. Antimony trisulfide is used as a primer in ammunition. The Company also recovers precious metals, primarily gold and silver, at its Montana facility from third party ore. At its Bear River Zeolite ("BRZ") facility located in Idaho, the Company mines and processes zeolite, a group of industrial minerals used in water filtration, sewage treatment, nuclear waste and other environmental cleanup, odor control, gas separation, animal nutrition, soil amendment and fertilizer, and other miscellaneous applications. The Company acquired mining claims and leases located in Alaska and Ontario, Canada and leased a metals concentration facility in Montana that could expand its operations as well as its product offerings.

Forward-Looking Statements:

Readers should note that, in addition to the historical information contained herein, this press release may contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of, and intended to be covered by, the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such forward-looking statements are based upon current expectations and beliefs concerning future developments and their potential effects on the Company including matters related to the Company's operations, pending contracts and future revenues, financial performance and profitability, ability to execute on its increased production and installation schedules for planned capital expenditures, and the size of forecasted deposits. Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements and the assumptions upon which they are based are reasonable, it can give no assurance that such expectations and assumptions will prove to have been correct. The reader is cautioned not to put undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, as these statements are subject to numerous factors and uncertainties. In addition, other factors that could cause actual results to differ materially are discussed in the Company's most recent filings, including Form 10-K and Form 10-Q with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Forward-looking statements are typically identified by words such as "believe," "expect," "anticipate," "intend," "outlook," "estimate," "forecast," "project," "pro forma," and other similar words and expressions. Forward- looking statements are subject to numerous assumptions, risks and uncertainties, which change over time. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made. Because forward-looking statements are subject to assumptions and uncertainties, actual results or future events could differ, possibly materially, from those anticipated in the forward-looking statements and future results could differ materially from historical performance.

Contact:

United States Antimony Corp.
4438 W. Lovers Lane, Unit 100
Dallas, TX 75209
Jonathan Miller, VP, Investor Relations
E-Mail: Jmiller@usantimony.com
Phone: 406-606-4117

SOURCE: United States Antimony Corp.

View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire

FAQ

What impact does the US-China tariff agreement have on UAMY's antimony business?

The recent 90-day US-China tariff reduction agreement does not affect China's export ban on antimony, which remains in place. UAMY's business operations continue unchanged.

How has China's antimony export ban affected UAMY stock?

Following China's antimony export ban in September 2024, antimony prices surged over five times, potentially benefiting UAMY as a domestic supplier.

What are UAMY's expansion plans for antimony production?

UAMY is preparing to begin excavation of previously mined antimony resources in Alaska, while also conducting remediation of these areas, expanding their domestic production capacity.

How is UAMY positioned in the US antimony market?

UAMY operates North America's only two antimony smelters and has established operations in Montana and Mexico, making it uniquely positioned to lead domestic antimony supply.

Is UAMY affected by the new 10% universal import tariffs?

No, antimony was explicitly exempted from the 10% universal import tariffs due to its critical importance to U.S. national security.