American Resources Corporation AREC, and its portfolio company, ReElement Technologies Corporation, recently announced an expansion of their existing antimony tolling agreement. Under the revised terms, ReElement will refine stibnite ore at its central Indiana facilities into ultra-pure antimony sulfide or antimony oxide. These purified antimony products will be supplied to both the domestic defense sector and commercial markets at prices based on market indices.   

The agreement, which spans a 10-year term with automatic renewals, secures long-term supply deals. Initial tolling revenues from the first phase of the contracted volumes are expected to surpass $29 million annually, with the potential for significant additional growth in line with increasing domestic demand.

By working closely with its partners, AREC and ReElement recognized that extending the contract duration would generate added value for all stakeholders, including its commercial and defense customers. Antimony is essential in many applications, from lead-acid batteries to munitions, and is a cost-effective product for the company to refine using its advanced and proven technologies. As AREC and ReElement ramp up their initial antimony refining capacity at their Marion, IN facility—and explore other potential sites both in the United States and abroad—they are well positioned to scale the agreement further and pursue new feedstock opportunities.

Antimony oxide and Antimony sulfide are the most commercially important compounds of antimony, occurring in a range of ore deposits. In 2023, the global market for Antimony oxide was valued at around $852 million and is expected to record a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 4.9% through 2034, reaching approximately $1.43 billion, per AREC. Antimony’s main uses include ammunition, missiles, flame retardants, batteries and solar panels.

The antimony ore partnership is initially starting at around 500 metric tons per month of stibnite ore for processing and refinement at ReElement, with the ability to significantly expand such volumes based on market demand.

AREC stock has lost 45.9% in the past year compared with the 9.9% decline of the industry.

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AREC’s Rank & Key Picks

AREC currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold).

Better-ranked stocks in the basic materials space include Carpenter Technology Corporation CRS, Alamos Gold Inc. AGI and Hawkins, Inc. HWKN.

Carpenter Technology currently carries a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy). CRS beat the Zacks Consensus Estimate in each of the last four quarters, with the average earnings surprise being 11.1%. The company's shares have soared 110% in the past year. You can see the complete list of today's Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for Alamos Gold current-year earnings is pegged at $1.29 per share. AGI, carrying a Zacks Rank #1, surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate in two of the trailing four quarters, while missing twice, with the average earnings surprise being 1.4%. The company's shares have rallied 58.1% in the past year.

Hawkins, which currently carries a Zacks Rank #2, beat the consensus estimate in one of the trailing four quarters, while missing thrice. In this time frame, it delivered an earnings surprise of roughly 8.2%, on average. The company's shares have rallied 43.6% in the past year.

 

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