Rock chips recovered from the old mine earlier in the year added to the buzz when one sample returned a barnstorming 46 per cent antimony and more than 1 kilogram per tonne silver, setting the scene for a renewed exploration push at Mojave.
When the chopper touches down in early November, SGC will take charge of the fresh data and transform it into a new batch of drill targets for Locksley’s 2026 exploration drive.
Management says the survey ties neatly into a broader push that includes LiDAR mapping and the reprocessing of older gravity and satellite imagery to build a detailed 3D geological model of the Mojave project.
At the same time, Locksley is preparing to conduct a detailed map of the old timers workings at DAM. Underground conditions permitting, the company says it plans to move ahead with sampling and drilling next year in efforts to unlock the potential hidden treasures still lurking beneath.
Locksley Resources managing director and chief executive officer Kerrie Matthews said: “Undertaking this high-resolution survey builds on the foundational datasets which Locksley is acquiring to fast-track exploration activities across Mojave. Our exploration strategy is to both advance the already identified El Campo REE and Desert antimony mine prospects through drilling, whilst simultaneously aggressively exploring across the rest of our claims to grow the project pipeline.”
The Mojave project sits in the heart of the Mojave Desert and lies immediately adjacent to the giant Mountain Pass rare earths mine owned by MP Materials. The project shares the same geological corridor known to host some of the richest rare earths and antimony mineralisation in the United States.
Washington is pushing hard to rebuild its domestic critical minerals supply chain in the wake of a massive global supply squeeze – and antimony is suddenly top of the list.
China, which supplies 78 per cent of global demand, slapped an export ban on the metal in 2024, sending the price rocketing 300 per cent to more than US $55,000 (A$82,000) per tonne.
Against that backdrop, Locksley’s timing looks impeccable. The company is chasing a first-mover advantage as the United States’ only integrated mine-to-market antimony producer, combining resource development with cutting-edge processing technology.
By partnering with Houston’s Rice University – a leading institution in advanced materials research – Locksley appears to be taking a front row seat in America’s drive for critical mineral independence.
As the helicopter sweeps across the Californian desert skies conducting a high-resolution survey, the data it gathers could very well hold the key to the company’s next big discovery.
Punters will no doubt be watching closely.
Is your ASX-listed company doing something interesting? Contact: mattbirney@bullsnbears.com.au
