Ares officially opens fluorspar lumps plant in Utah

what happened

TheNewswire reports that Ares Strategic Mining Inc. (OTCQX: ARSMF; FRA: N811) officially opened its Fluorspar Lumps Plant in Delta, Utah, on October 9, 2026. The facility processes ore from the fully permitted Lost Sheep Mine into metallurgical-grade fluorspar “lumps” used in steel and aluminum production. Federal and regional officials, local stakeholders, Ares employees and Provo Mining representatives attended the ceremony.

The opening marked the return of commercial fluorspar production to the U.S. Domestic output had faded after cheaper imports arrived in the early 1970s and ended completely by 1995, leaving the country dependent on foreign supplies for more than three decades. Ares said the plant has annual capacity of 165,347 tons, while current metspar prices range from $350 to $520 per metric ton. The company also holds a $168.9m U.S. Department of Defense contract for future acidspar and a memorandum of understanding with Cremer Erzkontor Inc. to distribute metspar across North America.

The facility covers approximately 7 acres on Ares’ fully owned 50-acre site. Construction has started on a complementary flotation plant, with the machinery already at the location, allowing future production of acidspar alongside metspar. Initial feed will come from the Lost Sheep Mine, one of the company’s 353 claims in the district. Recent geophysical surveys identified 49 additional preliminary fluorspar targets, while Ares and Found Industries plan to assess recovery of gallium, germanium and other strategic materials.

why it matters

The project adds U.S.-based processing capacity for a mineral used in steel, aluminum and other industrial applications. For markets, it highlights efforts to rebuild domestic critical-mineral supply chains, while the company’s revenue potential remains tied to future production and expansion.

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