Tungsten Mining & Processing Strategic Partnership
Guardian Metal Resources plc has entered a strategic partnership with the Montana Mining Association, Montana Technological University, and the Army Research Laboratory to advance a U.S.-based tungsten mining and recovery pilot program for defense applications. The company will supply approximately 250-400 tonnes of legacy ore from its Tempiute project in Nevada for trial processing in Montana, with initial shipments expected by late summer 2026. This initiative aims to upscale domestic tungsten sources and evaluate pathways toward commercial production, reinforcing Guardian Metal's strategy to establish a fully domestic mine-to-market tungsten supply chain and reduce reliance on foreign sources.
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Guardian Metal Resources plc (NYSE.A: GMTL, LON: GMET, OTCQB: GMTLF), a strategic exploration company focused on tungsten in Nevada, USA, is pleased to announce that it has entered into a strategic partnership (the "Partnership") with the Montana Mining Association ("MMA") to collaborate on a tungsten mining and recovery pilot program supporting domestic defense applications. The Partnership is also being advanced in conjunction with Montana Technological University ("MTU") and the Army Research Laboratory ("ARL").
As part of the Partnership, Guardian Metal will supply stockpiled legacy ore from its Tempiute Tungsten project ("Tempiute" or the "Project"), located near Rachel, Nevada, approximately 150 miles northeast of Las Vegas. Tempiute, formerly known as the Emerson Tungsten Mine, is a significant past producing tungsten mine, which was originally discovered in 1916 and most recently operated during the 1980s.
As a critical defense metal, tungsten has been formally designated a strategic priority by the U.S. government. Guardian Metal's mission is to advance its co-flagship projects, Tempiute and Pilot Mountain, as a cornerstone of U.S. tungsten supply, directly supporting national efforts to reshore production. This strategy is expected to reduce reliance on foreign supply chains, strengthen economic and defense security, and deliver long-term value for shareholders.
KEY HIGHLIGHTS
| • | Guardian Metal has entered into the Partnership to advance an entirely U.S.-based tungsten mining and recovery pilot program to support domestic defense applications. |
| • | Tempiute selected as a U.S. feedstock source, with an initial ~250-400 tonnes of stockpiled legacy ore to be transported from Tempiute to Philipsburg, Montana, for trial processing at the partner milling and processing facility. |
| • | First shipments of legacy ore are expected by late summer 2026, subject to completion of metallurgical test work currently underway at partner laboratories in both the U.S. and U.K., and pilot-scale test work to be completed on-site in Montana. |
| • | The program is focused on upscaling domestic tungsten-rich sources of historical mine tailings and legacy ore stockpiles to evaluate pathways toward commercial production of tungsten metal powder for defense-relevant applications within the U.S. |
| • | The Partnership further validates Guardian Metal's strategy of advancing its co-flagship tungsten assets, Tempiute and Pilot Mountain, towards a fully domestic mine-to-market tungsten supply chain. |
| • | If the initial program is successful, further shipments of tungsten-rich material from Tempiute could be supplied as part of an expanded program. |
Matt Vincent, Executive Director of MMA, commented:
"We are excited to work with Guardian Metal on this Partnership, which we feel is incredibly important to the industry and our nation's security. Guardian Metal's Tempiute material represents what we believe will prove to be an important domestic source of tungsten for this Partnership, as well as a demonstration of our Association's ability to effectively establish a broader network of critical minerals projects across the Mountain West."
Oliver Friesen, CEO of Guardian Metal Resources, commented:
"We are delighted to enter into this Partnership with MMA, ARL, and MTU to advance this strategically important pilot program. The selection of Tempiute as a feedstock source is a strong endorsement of the strategic significance of Guardian Metal's entirely Nevada-based tungsten project portfolio.
"At a time when tungsten supply security has never been more critical to U.S. defense and industrial capability, this initiative represents a tangible step toward building an entirely domestic supply chain, free from reliance on foreign sources."
Cleaned text: letterheads, contacts and legal notices removed. View the original announcement ↗ · Company filings. Not investment advice.