Nova Minerals Completes Antimony Pilot Plant Design, Enters Execution Phase

Nova Minerals Corp has finished the engineering and design of its antimony pilot plant in Alaska, moving the project from planning into procurement and construction. The company said it is ahead of schedule on the Estelle project, which is targeting antimony production in late 2026 or 2027.

The pilot plant is designed to process stibnite-bearing material into antimony trisulfide, a product used in flame retardants, lead-acid batteries, and military applications. Processing will happen at two sites: ore concentration at the Whiskey Bravo deposit, then refining at Port MacKenzie using a proprietary hydrometallurgical method. The final product will be filtered, dried, and bagged for shipment.

Nova has already ordered major equipment packages. More than 40 containers are en route to Port MacKenzie for delivery in the coming weeks. The company acquired key equipment from a recently decommissioned North American beneficiation circuit with limited operating history, which it said would cut procurement lead times and improve capital efficiency.

The project is funded by a US$43.4 million award from the U.S. Department of War, targeting antimony production in late 2026 or 2027. Antimony is classified as a critical mineral by the U.S. government, used in flame retardants, lead-acid batteries, and military applications including night-vision goggles and munitions.

Nova is also advancing the Estelle gold project in Alaska, which hosts two defined multi-million-ounce gold resources along a 35-kilometre mineralized trend in the Tintina Gold Belt. The belt includes Kinross Gold's Fort Knox mine. Nova's Alpha Score is 79, with a Strong label in the Basic Materials sector.

CEO Christopher Gerteisen said the company remains ahead of schedule.