Securing Critical Minerals
US Army Builds On-Base Critical Mineral Processing to Boost Domestic Supply Chains
Anonymous
Key Points
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Titan Mining's Kilbourne Graphite Purification Plant is planned for Pine Bluff Arsenal (Arkansas) and Anniston Army Depot (Alabama), with purified graphite destined for defense applications such as primers.
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The program designates five Army depots as potential sites for mineral processing under the Enhanced Use Leasing program, and Titan Mining was conditionally selected for graphite processing as of June 25, 2026 following a December 19, 2025 RFI.
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Antimony trisulfide is the first mineral targeted for on-base processing; the Army operates a modular refinery capable of producing 7–10 metric tons annually, with domestic supply efforts tied to Perpetua Resources’ Idaho project to secure antimony domestically.
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Ioneer is the only non-U.S. partner among the four companies and is Sydney-based, while EnergyX and Ioneer are involved in lithium and boron production facilities.
The US Army has signed agreements with four private companies to build critical mineral processing plants inside military bases — a first in American history. Mining.com reported that REalloys, Titan Mining, EnergyX, and Ioneer received conditional selection notices on June 25, 2026, with construction targeted for 2027 and operations expected by 2028.
The move is a direct challenge to China, which controls more than 90% of global battery-grade graphite and rare earth processing, according to The Deep Dive. The Army will lease unused base land to these firms under a program that requires no taxpayer funding — companies pay in-kind through base infrastructure upgrades instead of cash rent.
Four Companies, Four Minerals, Five Army Bases
Each firm targets a specific mineral gap in the US defense supply chain. REalloys will process rare earth elements at Tooele Army Depot in Utah. Titan Mining's Kilbourne Graphite Purification Plant is planned for Pine Bluff Arsenal in Arkansas — a roughly 245-acre site — or Anniston Army Depot in Alabama, which offers about 97 acres. EnergyX and Ioneer will handle lithium and boron production at sites yet to be finalized, according to Crypto Briefing.
Ioneer, the only non-US company in the group, is based in Sydney, Australia. Its inclusion highlights a practical gap: the US currently lacks enough domestic expertise to build out all four processing streams on its own, Mining.com noted. The Army designated five depots in total as potential host sites under the program.
Military Leasing Law Turns Idle Land Into Industrial Hubs
The program runs through the Enhanced Use Leasing mechanism, authorized under federal law. It lets the Army lease underutilized land to private firms for up to 50 years. Companies do not pay cash rent. Instead, they fund upgrades to base facilities — roads, utilities, and other infrastructure — keeping the arrangement off congressional appropriations, The Deep Dive reported.
Dr. Jeff Waksman, the Army's principal deputy assistant secretary for installations, said on-shore processing is a "national-defense priority" for munitions and sensors. He added the program leverages land "without putting any taxpayer dollars at risk." Lease revenues are directed back to the host bases for quality-of-life improvements, according to Crypto Briefing.
Antimony Came First — Graphite and Rare Earths Are Next
Before these four deals, the Army quietly launched a smaller pilot. It built a modular refinery for antimony trisulfide — a mineral used in bullet primers — capable of producing 7 to 10 metric tons per year. That effort tied to a 2025 contract with Perpetua Resources and its Stibnite Gold Project in Idaho, after China cut off antimony exports in late 2024, according to Discovery Alert.
The antimony pilot set the template for what is now a much larger push. Titan Mining CEO Rita Adiani called the new agreements "a turning point in ending America's dependence on Chinese-controlled supply chains." REalloys followed the announcement by raising $100 million in a private placement, Mining.com reported. A federal procurement ban on Chinese materials in the defense industrial base takes effect January 1, 2027.
Markets Surge, But China Could Tighten Controls Before 2028
Investors responded fast. Titan Mining shares jumped 12% and Ioneer climbed 7% the morning after the June 25 announcement, according to The Deep Dive. REalloys CEO Leonard Sternheim said heavy rare earths like dysprosium are the "heart of the high-temperature magnets" used in advanced defense systems, validating his company's mine-to-magnet strategy.
The gains come with a warning. Bloomberg analysts cited by Mining.com said China may tighten raw material export controls before US plants reach full operation in 2028 — squeezing supply during the very window the Army is trying to close. The administration is aiming to build a $12 billion critical mineral stockpile to buffer that transition period.
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