Red Mountain Mining Uncovers Exceptional Antimony Grades at Armidale Project
Red Mountain Mining (ASX: RMX) has reported outstanding antimony grades from its Armidale Antimony-Gold Project in New South Wales, with rock chip sampling returning values up to 36.3% antimony and associated gold mineralisation. These results further strengthen the company's strategic position in the critical minerals space as it prepares to commence exploration at its US antimony projects.
High-Grade Antimony Results Confirm Project Potential
Recent rock chip sampling across multiple prospects at the Armidale Antimony-Gold Project has delivered exceptional results, highlighted by:
- 36.3% Sb at Oaky Creek North
- 23.0% Sb and 0.36g/t Au at Oaky Creek South
- 9.9% Sb at the previously unsampled East Hills prospect
The consistent high-grade antimony results across multiple prospects demonstrate the project's potential to host significant antimony-gold mineralisation. The Oaky Creek North sample represents the highest antimony grade recorded to date in that area, while the East Hills sampling confirmed antimony mineralisation extending approximately 70 meters along strike.
At the Oaky Creek South prospect, a weathered outcrop sample containing 23.0% Sb and 0.36g/t Au was located within 6 meters of previously reported float samples containing up to 39.3% Sb and 1.09g/t Au, supporting the company's interpretation that high-grade antimony mineralisation is in situ at the prospect.
New Gold Potential at Horsley Station
Initial rock chip sampling at the historical Horsley Station gold workings returned up to 0.25g/t Au and importantly identified ultramafic host rocks, which are recognised as the preferred host for gold mineralisation along the Peel Fault system. This discovery supports RMX's interpretation that magnetic highs at Horsley Station and Horsley North represent structurally bound ultramafic bodies with potential to host gold mineralisation.
The company has secured land access to these promising targets and plans additional soil and rock chip sampling to define drill-ready targets.
Understanding Antimony: A Critical Mineral in High Demand
Antimony is classified as a critical mineral by both Australian and US governments due to its essential applications in defence, energy, and industrial sectors. This metalloid element (symbol Sb) has unique properties that make it valuable for several key applications:
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Flame Retardants: Antimony trioxide is widely used in flame-retardant materials for textiles, plastics, and coatings.
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Batteries: A key component in lead-acid batteries, improving performance and extending battery life.
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Military Applications: Essential for ammunition production, night-vision devices, and infrared detection equipment.
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Electronics: Used in semiconductor manufacturing and as a dopant in certain electronic components.
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Industrial Applications: Important in the production of certain glass, ceramics, and metal alloys.
The supply chain for antimony presents significant geopolitical challenges. Global antimony production is currently dominated by China, Russia, and Tajikistan, which collectively control about 90% of production. This concentration has created significant supply chain vulnerabilities for Western nations, particularly as demand continues to grow.
Recent antimony prices have reached US$60,000 per tonne, driven by China's export restrictions and growing demand. This price surge has prompted the US government to issue emergency declarations and mobilise unprecedented funding to secure domestic supply.
Strategic Position in Australia's Premier Antimony Province
RMX's 100%-owned Armidale Antimony-Gold Project is strategically located in the Southern New England Orogen, Australia's premier antimony province. The project lies approximately 85km west of Australia's largest antimony deposit, Larvotto Resources' (ASX: LRV) Hillgrove project, which is also the 8th largest antimony deposit globally.
The Armidale project comprises nearly 400km² of highly prospective ground covering 85km along the western side of the Peel Fault system. This major structural corridor hosts over 400 known orogenic gold and base metal occurrences along its 400km strike extent but remains largely underexplored with less than 200 mostly shallow drillholes over its length.
The geology of the project area is dominated by isoclinally folded Carboniferous metasediments of the Tamworth Belt, which is a forearc basinal package related to west-dipping subduction of oceanic crust beneath the Lachlan Orogen. Ultramafic mélanges of the Great Serpentinite Belt, which outcrop along the Peel Fault, are considered to be remnants of this oceanic crust.
Upcoming Catalysts and Development Plans
RMX has outlined several key next steps for the Armidale Project:
- Receipt and analysis of pending assays from approximately 250 hand auger soil samples at Oaky Creek South
- Follow-up soil and rock chip sampling at Oaky Creek North to define drill targets
- Additional work at East Hills following the promising initial antimony results
- Ground-truthing of stibnite and jarosite spectral anomalies across the tenement
Following a successful $1.5 million capital raising, the company is well-funded to accelerate exploration across both its Australian and US critical minerals projects, with exploration at the Utah Antimony Project set to commence.
Why Investors Should Take Note of RMX
Red Mountain Mining presents a compelling investment opportunity for several key reasons:
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Exposure to critical minerals: The company is strategically positioned in the antimony sector at a time of severe supply constraints and record high prices.
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Multiple high-grade discoveries: The consistent high-grade antimony results across several prospects demonstrate the significant potential of the Red Mountain Mining Armidale project results.
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US project portfolio: RMX has secured highly prospective antimony-gold projects in Utah and Idaho, USA, positioning itself to benefit from unprecedented US government support for domestic antimony production.
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Proximity to Australia's largest antimony deposit: The Armidale project is located just 85km from Larvotto Resources' Hillgrove project, which is expected to produce 4,878 tonnes of antimony annually once operational.
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Exploration momentum: With multiple work programs underway and a well-funded treasury, RMX is positioned to deliver a steady flow of news as it advances its project portfolio.
For investors seeking exposure to the critical minerals sector, Red Mountain Mining offers an opportunity to invest in a company with high-grade antimony assets in two tier-one jurisdictions at a time of unprecedented demand and constrained supply.
Ready to Invest in the Critical Minerals Revolution?
Discover why Red Mountain Mining's exceptional antimony grades and strategic positioning in Australia and the USA could deliver significant investor value. With high-grade antimony results up to 36.3% and promising gold mineralisation across multiple prospects, RMX is well-positioned to capitalise on growing global antimony demand. To learn more about this compelling investment opportunity in the critical minerals sector, visit Red Mountain Mining's Investor Hub today.