William Blair Initiates US Antimony With Outperform as Defense Demand Builds

Core Viewpoint - William Blair initiated coverage on United States Antimony Corp. (NYSE: UAMY) with an Outperform rating, highlighting the company's strategic position in critical mineral supply and U.S. national security needs following a recent Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) award [1] Group 1: Market Conditions and Company Position - Antimony prices have increased approximately fourfold over the past year, exceeding $55,000 per ton, creating a favorable market environment for the company [2] - US Antimony possesses a contract mill capable of processing significant ore volumes and has a portfolio of valuable assets, including mining rights in Alaska and claims in Canada [2] Group 2: Operational Developments - Management is nearing completion of an expansion at Thompson Falls, Montana, which will increase throughput by sixfold, supporting a $245 million DLA contract for antimony metal ingots [3] - The company has an adjacent flotation facility and operations in Madero, Mexico, which are expected to maintain steady processing activity [3] Group 3: Supply Chain and Future Prospects - The company has secured seven international supply contracts from non-Chinese sources, each with antimony grades above 50%, indicating ample near-term feedstock [4] - Progress is being made on a mining permit and Department of Defense approvals for 30,000 acres of mining rights in Alaska, with operations potentially commencing next year [4] Group 4: Additional Resource Holdings - Beyond antimony, the company holds 455 claims for cobalt in Ontario's Sudbury Basin and has acquired 100% of the Fostung tungsten properties in southwestern Ontario [5] - The Preston, Idaho deposit is noted as the only domestic source of zeolite, which is utilized in water filtration and animal feed [5]