Metals and minerals producer Nyrstar has cast its first antimony metal from a pilot plant at its Port Pirie multi-metals facility.
The successful production represents the site’s growing role in Australia’s sovereign manufacturing capability.
General Manager for Nyrstar Port Pirie, Darin Cooper said: “Casting our first antimony metal is a major step forward for Nyrstar and for Australia’s critical minerals supply chain.
“This project demonstrates Port Pirie’s ability to produce strategic metals at scale and supports our ambition to be a reliable supplier to global markets.”
Antimony is a metal essential for defence, energy and advanced manufacturing applications.
“The metal’s importance has only grown amid global supply chain disruptions and China’s export restrictions on antimony-related products.
Port Pirie’s lead smelting infrastructure attracted federal and state government funding support, with the federal, South Australian and Tasmanian governments jointly funding AU$135 million to help transform Nyrstar’s smelters to produce critical minerals.
Minister for Industry and Innovation and Minister for Science Tim Ayres said: **“**Casting the first antimony at the pilot plant is more than a technical milestone—it’s a signal of new jobs and growth for South Australia’s regional economy.
“Just three months after our co-investment with the Malinauskas Government, this pilot plant is creating opportunities that will strengthen local communities and secure Australia’s role in the global critical minerals supply chain.”
Initial batches of antimony metal are expected to be exported in the first half of 2026, with the aim of ramping up production to 2,000 tonnes per annum by the end of 2026.
With further investment and upgrades, Port Pirie has the capacity to scale up production up to 5,000 tonnes of refined antimony metal per annum by 2028, equivalent to 15 per cent of global supply and nearly 100 per cent of the 2023 import volume from the U.S.
Nyrstar is also assessing opportunities to produce bismuth and tellurium at Port Pirie, and germanium and indium at its Hobart Zinc Works.
