Bolt Metals Positioned to Capitalize on Antimony Shortages and Strong Copper Demand

Bolt Metals Corp. is pushing forward with two exploration projects that look really promising. The New Britain Antimony and Gold Project in British Columbia has already shown promising results, including a high-grade sample containing 10.4% antimony and 9.7 g/t gold. Meanwhile, the Soap Gulch Copper Project in Montana holds historic drill cores that have never been fully tested for copper, presenting a low-cost discovery opportunity. With global supply chains under strain, particularly for antimony, these projects are moving forward at a critical time. Backed by a solid team and a clear strategy, Bolt Metals is positioning itself to take advantage of these opportunities.

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What Is Antimony?

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Antimony is a unique metalloid, meaning it has characteristics of both metals and non-metals. It's primarily used as a flame retardant, especially in plastics, textiles, and electronics, helping to prevent materials from catching fire or slowing the spread of flames. Beyond that, antimony plays a critical role in strengthening lead-acid batteries, which are widely used in cars, industrial backup systems, and telecommunications. It also appears in semiconductors, where it's utilized in the production of diodes, infrared detectors, and other advanced electronics.

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In defence applications, antimony is used to harden lead, making it a crucial component in ammunition and military-grade equipment. Its versatility in industries such as construction, defence, and electronics makes it an increasingly valuable resource, especially as technology advances.

State Of The Antimony Market 

The antimony market in 2024 has been heavily impacted by supply shortages, mainly driven by China's export restrictions. As the largest producer of antimony, China’s decision to limit exports has caused prices to spike, with European markets seeing increases of over 75%. Reduced production from other key regions like Russia and Myanmar has further tightened global supply.

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At the same time, the demand for antimony is growing. Industries such as defense, renewable energy, and electronics are increasingly relying on the mineral for its critical role in manufacturing. With supply chains struggling to keep pace with this demand, antimony prices are expected to remain elevated for the foreseeable future.

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Looking ahead, the market is set for continued pressure, with no immediate solution to the current supply constraints. As demand continues to outstrip supply, antimony will likely remain a high-value resource across multiple sectors.

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New Britain Antimony and Gold Project

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The New Britain Antimony and Gold Project is located in British Columbia, covering 2,466 hectares about 40 kilometres north of Kaslo. The property is accessible by highway and forest roads, making it easier to carry out exploration and potential development.

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Historical exploration of the site dates back to the 1980s when a short adit was extended to evaluate a quartz vein within a 20-meter-wide shear zone. Sampling from these early efforts yielded impressive results, with a chip sample across 0.6 meters showing 10.4% antimony, 9.7 grams per tonne of gold, 2,358 grams per tonne of silver, and 29.9% lead. The mineralization is associated with galena and tetrahedrite within quartz-calcite veins, which are characteristic of the region.

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What makes this project particularly intriguing is its untapped potential. Despite its promising early data, the property remains largely unexplored for antimony. Bolt Metals sees a clear path to advancing the project through modern geophysical and geochemical surveys, which could quickly move it to a drill-ready stage. Given the current pressures on global antimony supply chains, the timing of this project’s potential development is highly relevant.

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In addition to the high-grade antimony and gold found at New Britain, there are several other mineralized zones nearby, including the West Ridge prospect and the North Star prospect. These neighbouring areas have shown notable antimony occurrences, such as the 16.1% antimony grade at West Ridge. While these nearby deposits don’t guarantee similar results at New Britain, they suggest that the broader region is geologically rich and could hold further exploration potential for antimony and other valuable minerals.

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Soap Gulch Copper Project

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The Soap Gulch Copper Project, located in Montana, spans 4,340 acres across 217 unpatented lode claims. The geological setting of Soap Gulch is particularly notable, as it is underlain by Proterozoic meta-sedimentary rocks. These rocks are geologically comparable to those found at the Sullivan Mine in British Columbia, one of Canada’s most prolific producers of lead, zinc, and silver. The similarity in geological age and composition indicates that the Soap Gulch property holds considerable potential to host valuable mineral deposits, making it an exciting target for exploration.

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In the 1970s and 1980s, initial drilling and trenching on the property returned highly encouraging results, with assays reporting grades of up to 4.7% copper, 19% zinc, 2.3 grams per tonne gold, and 0.3% cobalt. These results indicated strong mineralization, particularly in copper and zinc, which are key base metals in many industries. However, despite these promising early findings, large sections of the property have remained underexplored, leaving plenty of room for new discoveries.

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The potential of Soap Gulch became even more intriguing in 2018 when an airborne geophysics survey was conducted over the property. This technique involves using airborne instruments to measure variations in the Earth's magnetic and electromagnetic fields, helping to identify subsurface structures that may indicate the presence of mineralized zones. The survey revealed several untested anomalies, suggesting the possibility of undiscovered mineral deposits beneath the surface. These anomalies have yet to be drilled, representing an exciting opportunity for further exploration.

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The presence of these anomalies adds a layer of untapped potential to the Soap Gulch project. They could be key to identifying new copper and zinc-rich zones, which would build upon the already strong historical results. By targeting these geophysical anomalies, Bolt Metals has the opportunity to expand the known mineralization and gain a deeper understanding of the property's true value.

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Another advantage that Soap Gulch offers is the availability of 5,000 meters of historical drill core that has never been sampled for copper. This core provides Bolt Metals with a unique, cost-effective way to further evaluate the project without the need for a new, expensive drilling campaign. Given that a modern 5,000-meter drill program could cost around CAD$3.4 million, reanalyzing the existing core represents a strategic way to maximize exploration efforts while minimizing costs.

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Conclusion

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Bolt Metals Corp. is positioned at an interesting point in the exploration cycle, with two projects that show genuine upside potential. The New Britain Antimony and Gold Project, with its high-grade antimony, aligns perfectly with the growing global demand for critical minerals, while Soap Gulch presents an opportunity for Bolt to tap into untapped copper and zinc reserves. Both projects are progressing at a time when supply chains are strained, and the demand for these key metals is rising.

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For investors, this presents a compelling entry point. If Bolt Metals can execute on its exploration plans and deliver solid results, it stands to benefit from a favourable market environment. With the right focus, both projects could unlock substantial value, and we believe there’s strong potential for positive news flow in the near future as exploration progresses. The next phase of drilling and resource development will be critical, but the pieces look to be in place for Bolt to advance these projects successfully.

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Sources:

‍Information from this article was sourced from Bolt Metals Corp.’s official website, investor presentations, and recent press releases.