Mine near Armidale restarts to meet global antimony shortage
Hillgrove Mine near Armidale restarts to produce 7 per cent of world antimony.
Hillgrove Mine near Armidale reopens after 11 years of closure. The mine produces gold and antimony.
Plans include tungsten mining later. Antimony is used in electronics, AI, defence, batteries and fire retardant.
China mines most global antimony but limits exports. This creates shortages worldwide.
Hillgrove aims to produce 7 per cent of world antimony. That is more than 50 per cent of supplies outside China.
The restart injected around $100 million into the local Armidale economy in the past year. Eighty-six per cent of workers are local, from Hillgrove and the wider New England region.
- 7 per cent of world supply
- Global antimony production
- more than 50 per cent
- Supply outside China
- 100 million dollars in past year
- Economic injection
- 86 per cent of workers
- Local workforce
Why it mattersAustralia now has a major new source of a critical mineral. Electronics, defence and renewable energy all need this mineral. This reduces reliance on China.
AustraliaThe mine boosts employment and investment in rural NSW and reduces Australia's dependence on Chinese antimony supplies.
✓ Claims checked against the source and corrected before publish. checked 5 d ago
