Locksley Resources boosts US critical minerals strategy, partnering with GreenMet advisory

• GreenMet partnership offers access to highest levels of US government and industry in the critical minerals sector
• Partnership will target financing and offtake deals with DOE, DoD, EXIM, and DFC
• Working toward fully domestic mine-to-market antimony supply chain for US supply following recent Rice University partnership

Special Report: A partnership with Washington DC-based GreenMet further assists Locksley Resources to align the Mojave project with key US government critical mineral initiatives.

Locksley Resources (ASX:LKY) will leverage the partnership to target grants, loans and offtake programs with the US Department of Energy (DoE), Department of Defense (DoD), the US Export-Import Bank (EXIM) and the Development Finance Corporation (DFC).

LKY is positioning  the Mojave critical minerals project in California as a domestically integrated mine-to-market antimony project, having already engaged Rice University in a downstream collaboration agreement for US based processing and technology.

Locksley chair Nathan Lude said the appointment of GreenMet under the leadership of Drew Horn and Nick Denno represents a step change for LKY.

“Our mine-to-market strategy anchored by Mojave and our US collaboration with Rice University fits directly into US Government initiatives to secure resilient domestic supply chains,” he said.

“This appointment significantly enhances our ability to access US Government and institutional support while further validating Mojave as a critical US project for defence, technology and energy markets.”

The partnership will also help to raise Locksley’s profile among policymakers, investors and downstream participants in Washington DC and major US financial hubs.

Growing US demand for critical minerals

The Mojave project sits right next door to MP Material’s Mountain Pass Mine, the subject of a recent USD $400 million equity investment by the US DoD as well as a USD $500 million dollar offtake agreement with tech giant Apple.

The area has drawn high levels of interest from both private and government entities, especially given ongoing US Government initiatives under the Defense Production Act, Inflation Reduction Act and Department of Energy programs.

The DoE alone has committed to issuing funding totalling nearly US$1bn for critical minerals and materials supply chains.

Antimony is of particular interest to the US, after China cut exports of the defence-critical mineral last year.

At present, 90-95% of refined antimony comes from countries outside the US alliance network, presenting a strategic vulnerability the US is keen to address.

More from Locksley Resources: Poised to take advantage of US critical minerals boom from Mojave

Critical minerals expert

GreenMet team lead Drew Horn said Locksley’s mine-to-market strategy is exactly what US initiatives targeted at domestic sources of critical minerals are designed to support.

“The Mojave project, coupled with Locksley’s downstream collaboration with Rice University, has the potential to become a cornerstone of the US supply chain,” he said.

“GreenMet is excited to partner with Locksley to help secure government funding support, policy alignment and downstream industry engagement.”

Horn is a recognised authority on US critical minerals strategy, having served in the highest leadership positions at the White House, Office of the Director of National Intelligence and the US Departments of Energy and Defense.

He advised the US government on the implementation of the Defense Production Act and other federal programs designed to strengthen American industrial and defence supply chains.

Horn is considered an expert in securing funding and offtake support for projects that address strategic vulnerabilities in critical minerals in the US, expertise Locksley intends to take full advantage of.

This article was developed in collaboration with Locksley Resources, a Stockhead advertiser at the time of publishing.

This article does not constitute financial product advice. You should consider obtaining independent advice before making any financial decisions.