The $30 Billion Shift: Critical Minerals Enter a New Era

Canada NewsWire

Issued on behalf of RUA GOLD Inc.

VANCOUVER, BC, Feb. 9, 2026 /CNW/ -- USA News Group News Commentary – China just flipped the table on global procurement. By locking down exports on silver, tungsten, and antimony, they signaled a strategic shift that is reshaping Western defense priorities^[1]. The response was immediate: the U.S. Government mobilized over $30 billion in diverse funding to secure critical mineral supply chains, establishing allied jurisdiction deposits as the primary hedge against supply disruption^[2]. This structural pivot elevates dual-commodity discoveries in stable regimes, positioning RUA GOLD Inc. (TSXV: RUA) (OTCQB: NZAUF), Perpetua Resources (NASDAQ: PPTA) (TSX: PPTA), United States Antimony (NYSE-A: UAMY), Eldorado Gold (NYSE: EGO) (TSX: ELD), and Foran Mining (TSX: FOM) (OTCQX: FMCXF) within a narrowing window where defense-critical utility commands acquisition premiums far exceeding traditional gold valuations.

Mining and metals M&A in 2026 centers on consolidation and supply chain security^[3], while bilateral critical minerals frameworks signed in February 2026 establish the groundwork for nations to collaborate on pricing and financing for secure projects^[2]. Capital allocation now favors polymetallic systems where geopolitical necessity intersects with proven geology, transforming once-marginal antimony credits into strategic assets that justify sector-leading takeover multiples.

RUA GOLD Inc. (TSXV: RUA) (OTCQB: NZAUF) just laid out an aggressive 2026 game plan that puts four drill rigs to work across New Zealand's historic Reefton Goldfield while simultaneously pushing toward mine permitting under the country's new fast-track legislation.

The company now holds C$38 million in cash following an oversubscribed financing in January, giving it one of the strongest treasuries among junior gold explorers operating in the South Pacific. That war chest is funding a four-rig drill campaign at the Reefton Project on the South Island, where recent results at the Auld Creek target confirmed a major high-grade gold-antimony system. Drill hole ACDDH050 intersected 3.0m at 21.27 g/t AuEq (4.5 g/t Au and 3.9% antimony) from 137 meters depth, extending the deposit strike length to 870 meters with mineralization still open in every direction.

For anyone unfamiliar with the significance: antimony is a critical mineral used in military ammunition, flame retardants, and battery technology. China controls roughly 60% of global supply and has been tightening export controls, which means Western governments are actively hunting for new sources. New Zealand formally designated antimony as critical, which positions RUA GOLD at the center of this supply chain scramble.

The permitting timeline is the part worth watching closely. The company plans to submit a Fast Track referral application in Q1 2026, with a regulatory decision on eligibility expected by Q2. If accepted, the Reefton Project would enter a six-month permitting window, the fastest regime of its kind globally. CEO Robert Eckford pointed to the approval of OceanaGold's Wharekirauponga gold-silver project in just 112 days as proof the system works.

On the North Island, RUA GOLD is also preparing to drill at the Glamorgan Project, located right next door to that same OceanaGold development in the Hauraki Goldfield, a district that has produced 15 million ounces of gold historically. Drill permits are expected by Q2 2026 for an initial 5,000-meter program.

Within the Reefton alone, RUA GOLD controls 120,000 hectares in a district that historically produced over 2 million ounces of gold grading between 9 and 50 g/t. Backed by a leadership team responsible for US$11 billion in prior exits, the company is targeting a resource update above 300,000 ounces in Q1 2026, with three rigs running double shifts at Auld Creek and a fourth testing new targets across the broader goldfield. Investors should expect a steady flow of drill results throughout the year.

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 entered an agreement with the Idaho National Laboratory to host, commission, and operate a flexible, modular pilot processing plant expected to recover various critical and defense-related minerals, including antimony from the Company's Stibnite Gold Project. The initiative is part of a broader partnership with the U.S. Army via the Defense Ordnance Technology Consortium, with total DOTC awards reaching $22.4 million.

"We are proud to collaborate with Idaho National Laboratory to further strengthen America's defense capabilities and help secure a domestic source of antimony trisulfide. This partnership highlights Idaho's role in national security and demonstrates our ongoing commitment to responsible resource development, job creation, and workforce training in Idaho," said Jon Cherry, President and CEO of Perpetua Resources.

The Stibnite Gold Project is the only identified reserve of antimony in America, with Perpetua Resources expecting to supply up to 35% of U.S. antimony demand during its first six years of operations. The pilot plant will produce antimony trisulfide concentrate needed for munitions and advanced systems used by U.S. military personnel.

United States Antimony (NYSE-A: UAMY) has announced a new hydrometallurgical processing advancement for critical minerals, revealing it has funded and assisted with the development of a commercial-scale hydromet facility in Bolivia that has expanded 15 times its original size and output. The company holds an exclusive contract to receive processed antimony flake from the Bolivian facility, with first receipt of approximately 150 tons anticipated in February/March 2026 at its recently expanded Thompson Falls smelter.

"On January 15, 2026, USAC filed with the DOE a request for funding for a program total of $44 million associated with our hydromet process developed in Bolivia for a new facility to be located in the USA," said Gary C. Evans, Chairman and CEO of United States Antimony. "Additionally, the Company is working on a similar application for an award from the DoW for this process in a new location near the State of Montana. These new location(s) will be state of the art antimony processing facilities in North America."

United States Antimony has also obtained an exclusive license to duplicate the hydromet process in North America and Australia, with the technology capable of processing sub-par antimony of less than 10% stibnite into finished material meeting military specifications. The company remains the only fully integrated antimony company in the world outside of China and Russia.

Eldorado Gold (NYSE: EGO) (TSX: ELD) and Foran Mining (TSX: FOM) (OTCQX: FMCXF) announced a definitive agreement to combine into a sector-leading gold-copper mining company, with Eldorado acquiring all outstanding Foran shares at an implied equity value of approximately C$3.8 billion. The transaction positions the combined entity to produce approximately 900,000 gold equivalent ounces in 2027, with both the Skouries project in Greece and McIlvenna Bay in Saskatchewan on budget and on schedule for commercial production in mid-2026.

"This combination creates a stronger gold and copper growth company, defined by near-term cash flow generation and multiple catalysts," said George Burns, CEO of Eldorado Gold. "With Skouries and McIlvenna Bay scheduled to come online in 2026, the combined business is positioned for a step-change in production, cash flow, and global relevance."

"This transaction gives McIlvenna Bay the scale and financial strength to fully realize its potential, including the ability to accelerate phased expansion opportunities over time," said Dan Myerson, Executive Chair and CEO of Foran Mining. "Having advanced through the risk curve associated with development, the company is fast approaching an inflection point towards enhanced free cash flow and production growth."

The combined company is expected to generate approximately $2.1 billion of EBITDA and $1.5 billion in free cash flow in 2027, with existing Eldorado and Foran shareholders owning approximately 76% and 24% respectively upon closing, which is expected in Q2 2026.

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://discoveryalert.com.au/china-silver-export-restrictions-reshape-markets-2026/
2.   https://www.state.gov/releases/office-of-the-spokesperson/2026/02/2026-critical-minerals-ministerial
3.   https://www.pwc.com/gx/en/services/deals/trends/energy-utilities-resources.html

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