EMA Member Perpetua Resources Receives Federal Approval for Idaho Antimony and Gold Project

Arlington, Va., Jan. 6, 2025 – The Essential Minerals Association (EMA) today announced that member company Perpetua Resources received the final Record of Decision from the U.S. Forest Service for their Stibnite Gold Project in Idaho. The mine aims to meet more than 35 percent of U.S. antimony needs by 2028.

“Amidst increasing trade tensions with China and escalating global geopolitical challenges, I am excited to see the Biden Administration give final approval to this critical mining project, which will finally start the nation’s only antimony mine,” said Chris Greissing, EMA president. “We need to dramatically increase our domestic mining capacity to meet America’s economic and national security needs. This is a big win for our industry, but let’s not lose sight of the fact it took eight years. Now is the time for permitting reform.”

China, which currently produces nearly half of all antimony mined worldwide, stopped all antimony exports globally. The Perpetua project contains 148 million pounds of antimony and is the only significant source of mined antimony poised to come online domestically in the foreseeable future. Antimony is a metal used to make weapons, solar panels, flame retardants and other goods.

The site also contains an estimated 4.8 million-ounce gold reserve, which would produce 450,000 ounces annually for the first four years.

The Stibnite Gold Project is designed to redevelop the abandoned Stibnite mine site in central Idaho, providing environmental restoration to the dormant site. Perpetua’s plan includes removing legacy tailings and waste to improve water quality, restoring miles of river habitat and opening native fish habitat that had been blocked for more than 80 years, and providing an increase in wetland acres.

Perpetua Resources is a Future Producer Member of EMA and has received regulatory and congressional support from EMA as they worked toward final approval of their federal permit. Future Producer members are startup companies engaged in the exploration and development of mineral extraction and processing, but not yet producing minerals and generating revenues. EMA offers Future Producers full benefits of membership as they work through the financing and permitting process.

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The Essential Minerals Association (EMA) is the representative voice for companies that extract and process a vital and beneficial group of raw materials and minerals, which are the essential ingredients for many of the products used in everyday life. EMA ensures that the voices of its member companies and the socio-economic benefits they provide – from mining to end-use products – are heard by government leaders as well as the general public. Visit essentialminerals.org to learn more.