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Matthews’ focus is now squarely on advancing the Mojave project in California which hosts both rare earths and antimony mineralisation, including the historic Desert Antimony mine that last operated in 1937. It is considered one of the highest-grade known antimony prospects in the US.
Adding to its credentials, recent rock chips unearthed at the historic mine returned high grades, with one sample running at a whopping 46 per cent antimony and more than 1 kilogram per tonne silver, setting the scene for a renewed exploration focus on the prospect.
Mojave spans more than 490 claims in the Mojave Desert and also sits alongside MP Materials’ world-class Mountain Pass rare earth mine, the only rare earths mine of scale in North America.
Mountain Pass produces the valuable light rare earths, neodymium and praseodymium, both key materials used in permanent magnets produced for electric vehicles, wind turbines, robotics and other advanced technologies.
The importance of Locksley’s proximity to Mountain Pass has not been lost on the company. The Mojave project also hosts the El Campo rare earths prospect, with some of its grounds actually surrounded by MP’s leases.
Early work has already uncovered several look-alike geological structures at site, hinting that another major antimony and/or rare earths find could be lurking within its borders.
Antimony, a key ingredient in defence applications, semiconductors and flame-retardant alloys, has become a major focus for Washington as it scrambles to build out its own domestic production.
China, which supplies 78 per cent of global demand, slapped an export ban on the metal in 2024, sending the price rocketing 300 per cent to more than US $55,000 (A$82,000) per tonne.
Key to Locksley’s development momentum is a partnership with Washington-based GreenMet, which has been pivotal in advancing the company’s permitting approvals, lobbying for federal funding and engaging with the defence sector.
With its first ingot now poured, government discussions underway and pilot-scale development looming, Locksley’s transition from explorer to producer appears firmly on track.
Matthews ascendancy to the top job at Locksley may well be timely as the company aims to be one of the few ASX-listed players capable of supplying strategic US antimony metal at scale.
And it seems the appointment has landed at just the right moment as the global race for critical minerals heats up and the company seeks to emerge as a cornerstone in America’s next-generation supply chain.
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