Western Capitals Rotate Into Sovereign Sanctuary: Antimony, Uranium, Graphite

VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Jan. 20, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- USA News Group News Commentary – China's antimony export whitelist, designating only 11 authorized firms through 2027^[1], has accelerated the systemic re-rating of Western resource security. Combined with coordinated silver and rare earth restrictions reshaping global supply chains^[2], Beijing's state-controlled architecture forces Western governments to prioritize domestically-anchored critical mineral ecosystems. This structural shift creates asymmetric upside for a select group of projects within Western jurisdictions: RUA GOLD Inc. (TSXV:RUA) (OTCQB:NZAUF), Perpetua Resources (NASDAQ:PPTA) (TSX:PPTA), Graphite One (TSXV:GPH) (OTCQX:GPHOF), Centrus Energy (NYSE:LEU), and Energy Fuels (NYSE:UUUU) (TSX:EFR).

Washington's January 2026 Executive Order^[3] tying mineral security to bilateral partnerships signals that the rotation toward sovereign sanctuaries is now operational policy. The approval of New Zealand's first major Fast-track mining project in December 2025^[4] demonstrates how regulatory streamlining is compressing development timelines for strategically significant high-grade deposits.

RUA GOLD Inc. (TSXV:RUA) (OTCQB:NZAUF) is accelerating the development of a strategic gold-antimony sanctuary in the South Pacific as Western nations scramble to secure non-Chinese sources of critical minerals.

According to a fresh update released to start the week, the company is aggressively expanding its footprint within New Zealand's historic Reefton Goldfield, where recent drilling has confirmed a major high-grade system at the Auld Creek project.

This development arrives at a pivotal moment as China tightens export controls on approximately 60% of the world's antimony production, and New Zealand formally designated the metal as critical. This shift places RUA GOLD at the epicenter of a global geopolitical rotation toward sovereign supply chains.

The latest assay results from Auld Creek demonstrate exceptional scale and grade, highlighted by drill hole ACDDH050 which intersected 3.0m @ 21.27 g/t AuEq (4.5 g/t Au & 3.9% Sb) from a depth of 137m. These results have effectively extended the deposit strike length by 250 meters to a total of 870 meters, with the mineralized system remaining open in all directions and at depth via plunging ore shoots.

With three drill rigs now operating on a double-shift basis from January 2026, the company is fast-tracking resource development to grow the gold-antimony resource above 300,000 ounces on the next reserve refresh expected in Q1 2026.

The company is now moving toward production by leveraging New Zealand's new legislative framework called the FAST TRACK process, designed to accelerate projects of national significance to receive permits within 6 months, the fastest permitting regime in the world.

"We intend to use the FAST TRACK legislation for the Auld Creek gold-antimony project, with the objective of bringing New Zealand's largest known antimony deposit into production," said Robert Eckford, CEO of RUA GOLD. "Our confidence in this permitting regime was reinforced by the approval of OceanaGold's Wharekirauponga gold-silver project in December 2025."

Within the Reefton, RUA GOLD controls 120,000 hectares in a district that historically produced over 2Moz of gold grading between 9 and 50g/t. The company is also advancing the Glamorgan Project on New Zealand's North Island, adjacent to OceanaGold's Wharekirauponga development.

With $14 million in cash on hand (according to last reported figures) and a leadership team behind US$11 billion in prior exits, RUA GOLD is well-positioned to deliver meaningful discovery growth.

CONTINUED… Read this and more news for RUA GOLD at: https://usanewsgroup.com/2025/04/02/others-found-1911-g-t-here-before-now-a-proven-11b-mining-team-is-back-to-finish-the-job/

In other industry developments and happenings in the market include:

Perpetua Resources (NASDAQ:PPTA) (TSX:PPTA) has selected Hatch Ltd. as EPCM contractor for the Stibnite Gold Project in Idaho, marking a major milestone ahead of a final investment decision expected in spring 2026. Hatch is also making a $4 million equity investment in the company, demonstrating strong alignment with the project's strategic vision.

"Hatch brings the depth, discipline, and proven execution capability required to responsibly deliver the Stibnite Gold Project," said Jon Cherry, President and CEO of Perpetua Resources. "Their experience with sophisticated mining and metallurgical facilities in the United States will play a critical role in advancing Stibnite to the next phase of development."

Stibnite remains the only known domestic reserve of antimony capable of meeting U.S. defense requirements for munitions. Perpetua is advancing financing due diligence with the U.S. Export-Import Bank while the definitive EPCM contract is expected to be finalized in the coming weeks.

Graphite One (TSXV:GPH) (OTCQX:GPHOF) has received amended Letters of Interest from the U.S. Export-Import Bank totaling $2.07 billion for potential debt financing of its integrated American graphite supply chain, with EXIM prepared to loan 70% of total capital costs. The Alaska project LoI increased from $570 million to $670 million, while the Ohio manufacturing facility LoI expanded from $325 million to $1.4 billion.

"All of us at G1 are so appreciative of the support we are receiving from EXIM under the leadership of Chairman Jovanovic," said Anthony Huston, CEO of Graphite One. "There is no reason the U.S. should be dependent on foreign-sourced graphite when we have a generational resource in Graphite Creek anchoring a 100% U.S.-based advanced graphite materials supply chain."

The Ohio facility expansion will support phased capacity increases to 100,000 metric tons annually of anode active material for lithium-ion batteries. Graphite One expects to submit a formal application to EXIM in 2026 and is currently in discussions with top North American investment banks to finance the remaining 30% of capital costs.

Centrus Energy (NYSE:LEU) has been awarded a $900 million task order by the U.S. Department of Energy to expand uranium enrichment capabilities at its Piketon, Ohio facility, including commercial-scale production of High-Assay, Low-Enriched Uranium needed for next-generation reactors. The project is expected to create 1,000 construction jobs and 300 new operating positions in Ohio while generating thousands of additional jobs across the company's nationwide supplier network.

"This award represents a historic commitment to revitalizing America's nuclear fuel supply chain and reclaiming American nuclear leadership on the global stage," said Amir Vexler, President and CEO of Centrus Energy. "Uranium enrichment in Ohio has a big future, and this is just the beginning."

Centrus has secured $2.3 billion in LEU purchase commitments from utilities and raised over $1.2 billion in private capital to support expansion plans. The first new enrichment capacity is expected to come online in 2029, with total task order value including options reaching $1.07 billion.

Energy Fuels (NYSE:UUUU) (TSX:EFR) has released results from a Bankable Feasibility Study confirming exceptional economics for its Phase 2 rare earth processing expansion at the White Mesa Mill in Utah, with capital costs of $410 million and an after-tax NPV of $1.9 billion at 33% IRR. The expansion will increase production capability to over 6,000 tonnes per annum of NdPr oxide along with 240 tonnes of dysprosium and 66 tonnes of terbium.

"Today's BFS shows that Energy Fuels is in the process of restoring a U.S. rare earth supply chain that is world-competitive," said Mark S. Chalmers, CEO of Energy Fuels. "We believe our REE oxide production ranks among the lowest capital and operating costs globally."

Regulatory approval for the Phase 2 Circuit is expected by mid-2027 with commissioning targeted for Q1 2029. Energy Fuels projects $311 million in average annual EBITDA for the first 15 years and a pathway to supplying 45% of total U.S. rare earth requirements.

Article Source: https://usanewsgroup.com/2025/04/02/others-found-1911-g-t-here-before-now-a-proven-11b-mining-team-is-back-to-finish-the-job/

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SOURCES CITED:

1. https://rareearthexchanges.com/news/chinas-exclusive-export-list-for-critical-metals-2026-2027-whos-in-and-why-it-matters/
2. https://www.cnbc.com/2025/12/31/china-silver-export-controls-2026-us-economy-prices-rare-earths-critical-minerals-xag-metals.html
3. https://www.csis.org/analysis/new-executive-order-ties-us-critical-minerals-security-global-partnerships
4. https://www.fasttrack.govt.nz/news/major-fast-track-mining-project-approved