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The project is in Hillgrove in New South Wales in Australia, a historic goldmining town. It is targeted to start production in 2026, with an estimated annual capacity of 5,400 tonnes of antimony and 41.1 oz of gold, Fastmarkets understands.
Data from the United States Geological Survey (USGS) shows total global antimony mine production was about 83,000 tonnes in 2023. China was the leading producer, contributing 40,000 tonnes, followed by Tajikistan with 21,000 tonnes and Turkey in third place producing 6,000 tonnes. Australia produced 2,300 tonnes last year, making it the seventh largest producer of antimony worldwide.
The offtake agreement is supported by a $4 million prepayment facility with Xcelsior Capital, the investment arm of Wogen.
“With decades of experience in critical metals and minerals, Wogen is very pleased to team up with Xcelsior Capital in bringing an offtake and financing solution to Larvotto Resources Limited for the development of their Hillgrove antimony concentrate project in NSW,” John Craig, chief executive officer of Wogen, told Fastmarkets on Monday.
“Applying Wogen’s international expertise and market presence to develop a robust and significant supply chain for this critical commodity is particularly important and we look forward to working closely with Larvotto as they go about bringing their project into production,” Craig said.
Liam Farley, CEO of Xcelsior Capital, said: “Xclesior Capital, in partnership with Wogen Resources, is pleased to have signed the agreement with Larvotto Resources to support the restart of the Hillgrove antimony and gold mine in Australia. Hillgrove is a brownfield asset with a clear path to production of antimony concentrates with significant exploration potential.”
Antimony prices have been at historical highs this year. The price of antimony metal has tripled within a year due to a global supply shortage and China’s export control.
Fastmarkets’ twice-weekly price assessment for antimony, MMTA standard grade II, in-whs Rotterdam was $37,500-38,500 per tonne on Friday November 29, up from $10,900-11,500 per tonne a year ago on November 29, 2023.
Prices of antimony have climbed steadily since December 2023, supported by multiple factors, including supply issues from Myanmar, the Red Sea crisis, low inventory levels globally, the absence of Omani antimony smelter SPMP, strong demand in China and a continued shortage of antimony raw materials from Russia.
Gold prices have also been at record high levels this year. The gold one-month average price was $2,660.63 per oz on Monday on the Comex Exchange, a division of the New York Mercantile Exchange.
Geologically, antimony deposits are often affiliated with gold. It can also be associated with lead, zinc, and silver in certain types of mineral deposits. In many cases, antimony is a byproduct of gold mining.
“Completing the offtake agreement with Wogen is another significant milestone for the Hillgrove Project as it progresses towards production. It provided a strong endorsement of the project’s quality and potential,” Ron Heeks, managing director of Larvotto Resources, said in the announcement released on Monday.
The $4 million prepayment facility will assist Larvotto to finalize the definitive feasibility study and further expand the exploration program designed to demonstrate the full scale of Hillgrove’s mineralization, according to the announcement.