Pentagon Launches Plan for Small-Scale Refineries to Secure Critical Minerals

Pentagon Launches Plan: The U.S. military is embarking on a strategic and ambitious mission to secure its defense supply chain. The plan involves developing a cutting-edge fleet of small-scale refineries designed to produce critical minerals essential for manufacturing vital weaponry, including bullets, armor, and other sophisticated defense components.

This initiative marks a definitive move toward establishing reliable domestic sources for niche materials, a sector that has long been dominated and controlled by Chinese mining and processing operations. This proactive approach aims to mitigate the geopolitical risk associated with dependence on foreign adversaries for fundamental building blocks of national defense.

Project: Antimony Refinement Leads the Charge

These never-before-reported plans are being spearheaded by the U.S. Army in a high-profile collaboration with the Idaho National Laboratory (INL) and the U.S.-based antimony and gold miner, Perpetua Resources. The initial focus of this critical minerals program is antimony, a metalloid deemed essential for defense applications.

The Army’s partnership with INL and Perpetua, which is notably backed by major financial players like JPMorgan Chase and billionaire John Paulson, underscores the seriousness and resource commitment behind this strategic pivot. This partnership is crucial for translating laboratory-scale innovation into industrial-scale resilience.

A New Paradigm in Processing: The Small-Scale Advantage

The Army’s decision to pursue a small-scale refinery model represents a fundamental shift away from conventional, large-volume commercial refining operations. While the military does not intend to produce vast quantities of minerals for private, bulk commercial use (like copper or iron ore), this niche approach guarantees a steady, accessible stream of highly specialized critical minerals.

This model eliminates the reliance on far larger commercial refineries, whose primary focus and operational scale are often unsuited for the highly specific, lower-volume, and high-security needs of the defense industrial base. The small-scale model ensures control and dedicated output.

Beyond Antimony: Washington Targets a Full Suite of Critical Materials

If the pilot project focusing on antimony proves successful, Washington plans to rapidly expand the program to encompass a full fleet of refineries for other minerals deemed critical to U.S. national and economic security by the government.

The minerals slated for this domestic refinement strategy include tungsten, known for its use in armor-piercing ammunition; rare earths, vital for precision-guided missiles and electronics; and boron, used in ceramics and specialized alloys. This expansive vision confirms that the ultimate goal is not just to solve one supply problem but to achieve comprehensive mineral independence for the defense sector.

The Imperative of Control: Bringing Production Inside the Borders

The motivation behind this domestic push is starkly clear. Mark Mezger, a munitions procurement adviser for the U.S. Army, emphasized the need for sovereignty over the supply chain. Mezger stated, “We need to come up with a way to make our own (critical minerals) domestically that we can actually monitor and control within our borders.” This philosophy is at the heart of the refinery program.

By producing these materials on U.S. soil, the military gains complete visibility and control, safeguarding production from international trade disputes, geopolitical weaponization, and unpredictable foreign policy shifts.

The $30 Million Mobilization: A Portable and Scalable Solution

The Army has invested $30 million over several years in the development of this refinery program. This investment yielded a critical piece of technology: a purpose-built refinery designed by the privately held Westpro Machinery that is compact enough to be transported in just four standard shipping containers. This modular, portable design is revolutionary.

While the refinery’s initial output of 7 to 10 metric tons of antimony trisulfide annually is small compared to commercial operations, it is sufficient to maintain the Army’s supply during peacetime. Crucially, the system is scalable: additional mini-refineries can be rapidly deployed to process ore from Perpetua’s Idaho mine in the event of a national conflict. The Army is already in discussions with other U.S. antimony projects to further diversify its raw material sourcing.

Antimony Trisulfide: The Essential Ingredient for Ammunition

The mineral at the core of this initial effort is antimony trisulfide, a compound that performs a singular and non-negotiable role in defense manufacturing: it is used to make primers, the small explosive cap at the base of a bullet that initiates the main propellant charge. The critical nature of this material is compounded by a historical vulnerability:

this specific type of antimony has not been produced in the United States since the 1960s. Mezger offered a sobering assessment of its importance: “Without antimony trisulfide, you can’t make primers. And without primers, you can’t make bullets. And an army without bullets is just a parade.” This quote perfectly encapsulates the high stakes involved in securing this fundamental component.

Clean and Green: INL’s Role in Verifying Efficiency

The development process includes a rigorous verification phase. The Idaho National Laboratory will be testing the new facility for the next six months. If the portable refinery successfully passes this demanding operational review, the INL will then take on the role of operating the facility for both the Army and Perpetua. Beyond simple functionality, a key part of the INL’s mandate is to ensure that the facility’s processes are not just mere copies of existing refinery standards but are demonstrably cleaner and more efficient.

This focus on enhanced environmental and operational standards will be central to securing the long-term viability and public acceptance of future mineral processing sites, which may be located on military bases or other government properties.

geopolitical wake-up Call: The 2021 Supply Shock

The urgency of this domestic refinery plan was catalyzed by a dramatic and unforeseen event in 2021. The Army discovered that China, the dominant global supplier, had abruptly stopped shipping antimony trisulfide. This immediate cessation of supply forced the military to deplete its existing one-year stockpile and scramble to find alternative sources in India and other non-traditional markets.

Mark Mezger explicitly stated that this sudden supply shock was the catalyst that led to the realization of a crucial truth: a stable, domestic option was the only reliable path forward. This geopolitical wake-up call highlighted the vulnerability inherent in foreign dependency.

Paving the Way for Resilience: The Future of American Mineral Independence

The successful development and operation of this small-scale refinery represent more than just a logistical solution; it signifies a major step towards strengthening American industrial resilience. Jon Cherry, the CEO of Perpetua, captured this sentiment, stating that the plant’s development should help to “pave the way for sustained American mineral independence and resilience.” By securing the ability to produce these foundational materials within its own borders, the U.S. military is building a defense industrial base that is less susceptible to foreign political pressure and supply chain disruptions, ensuring that America’s armed forces have the secure and continuous supply of materials they need to operate effectively.