$12 Billion to Stockpile Critical Minerals: Five Companies in the Crosshairs

Issued on behalf of Americore Resources Corp.

VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Feb. 18, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- EquityInsider.com News Commentary — With China having restricted exports on antimony, tungsten, and silver to start the year, that market is witnessing a strategic shift now reshaping Western defense procurement^[1]. The White House has responded with Project Vault, a $12 billion initiative anchored by a $10 billion EXIM loan to create the first U.S. Strategic Critical Minerals Reserve^[2]. Tagged companies: Americore Resources (TSXV:AMCO) (OTCQB:AMCOF), Perpetua Resources (NASDAQ:PPTA) (TSX:PPTA), NioCorp Developments (NASDAQ:NB), Energy Fuels (NYSE-A: UUUU) (TSX:EFR), and Electra Battery Materials (NASDAQ:ELBM) (TSXV:ELBM).

With this shift, capital is now rotating toward domestic mineral projects where geopolitical necessity meets proven geology^[3]. From antimony to cobalt to deep-sea polymetallic nodules, the scramble to secure Western supply chains has turned allied-jurisdiction resources into strategic assets with defense-grade premiums.

Americore Resources (TSXV:AMCO) (OTCQB:AMCOF) recently uncovered five historic core holes drilled by US Borax in 1985 at its Trinity Silver Project in Nevada that were never included in any previous resource estimate, despite being located in and around the historic open pit.

The drill results speak for themselves: Hole SC-4 alone returned 209.5 feet grading 145.98 g/t silver, including 153 feet at 185.94 g/t.

Hole SC-5 hit 246.5 feet at 97.52 g/t silver, with a higher-grade core of 70 feet at 128.26 g/t. Hole SC-1 cut 321.5 feet at 65.86 g/t, including 65 feet at 220.69 g/t.

These are wide intercepts with serious grade, drilled directly in and around the historic open pit. The fact that they were overlooked in prior resource models means the existing 36-million-ounce silver resource estimate could be materially understated.

"The evaluation of the drone survey over the next few weeks will allow us a better understanding of not only the historic resource but also the alteration halo extending from the pit," said Jeff Poloni, VP of Exploration for Americore Resources. "The key takeaway is that these holes provide direct evidence that the current resource model does not fully capture the mineralization present within and adjacent to the Trinity pit."

On top of this, the company has also received all data from its recently completed drone magnetometer survey, which covered approximately 350 line-kilometers across a 6-kilometer strike zone running through the heart of the project.

Now Americore is continuing its review of approximately 300Gb of legacy project data acquired from the property vendor, and these five overlooked core holes are the first major discovery from that process.

The company has also announced that it's evaluating options to monetize historic surface stockpiles containing approximately 400,000 ounces of silver in oxide material and 365,000 ounces in sulphide material still sitting on site from prior mining operations.

The Trinity Project sits in Pershing County, Nevada, where previous operator US Borax mined over one million tons and produced approximately five million ounces of silver through heap-leach operations during the 1980s and 1990s.

To date, Americore has expanded its land position to approximately 22,700 acres through direct staking and a strategic option agreement with Primus Resources, controlling all ground covered by a 2012 USGS aeromagnetic study that identified a 6-kilometer alteration corridor extending well beyond the existing resource boundary.

CONTINUED… Read this and more news for Americore Resources at:

https://equity-insider.com/2026/01/12/the-only-silver-that-matters-now-is-silver-you-can-touch/

In other industry developments:

Perpetua Resources (NASDAQ:PPTA) (TSX:PPTA) has entered an agreement with Idaho National Laboratory to host, commission, and operate a flexible, modular pilot processing plant expected to recover antimony and other defense-related minerals from the company's Stibnite Gold Project. The project is also in the process of securing more than $2 billion in financing from the Export-Import Bank of the United States, with a financial decision expected in spring 2026.

"Hatch brings the depth, discipline, and proven execution capability required to responsibly deliver the Stibnite Gold Project," said Jon Cherry, President and CEO of Perpetua Resources. "This partnership ensures we have the technical rigor needed to advance one of the most strategically important mineral deposits in the country."

The Stibnite Gold Project is the only known, large-scale domestic source of antimony in the United States, a mineral classified as critical to national defense. China controls roughly 60% of global antimony supply and has tightened export controls heading into 2026.

NioCorp Developments (NASDAQ:NB) recently applauded the White House and EXIM for launching Project Vault, a proposed $12 billion U.S. Strategic Critical Minerals Reserve anchored by $11 billion from EXIM and approximately $1.67 billion in industry seed capital. The initiative aims to procure, store, and sell critical minerals to U.S. manufacturers.

NioCorp Developments said the Project Vault initiative represents exactly the kind of bold government action needed to rebuild U.S. critical mineral supply chains, and noted that its Elk Creek Project is designed to produce the very materials Project Vault is intended to secure.

NioCorp is developing the Elk Creek Project in Nebraska, which is expected to produce niobium, scandium, and titanium. The company expects to announce multiple offtake agreements between now and April 2026 to ensure adequate debt capacity and demonstrate market demand to lenders.

Energy Fuels (NYSE-A: UUUU) (TSX:EFR) recently announced the acquisition of Australian Strategic Materials for US$299 million to create what the company believes will be the largest fully integrated rare earth "mine-to-metal and alloy" producer outside of China. The transaction combines ASM's operating Korean Metals Plant with Energy Fuels' White Mesa Mill in Utah, the only U.S. facility capable of separating monazite concentrates into both light and heavy rare earth oxides.

"Energy Fuels is executing our plan to create the largest fully integrated producer of REE materials outside of China, including REE oxides, metals and alloys, while supporting U.S. and allied critical mineral supply chains," said Mark Chalmers, CEO of Energy Fuels. "The proposed acquisition of Australian Strategic Materials brings us much closer to that goal."

Energy Fuels is also a leading U.S. uranium producer, with operations spanning critical minerals processing, heavy mineral sands, vanadium, and medical isotopes. The company plans to expand White Mesa Mill capacity to produce 6,000 tonnes per annum of neodymium-praseodymium oxide, directly addressing the persistent lack of downstream rare earth refining capability outside of China.

Electra Battery Materials (NASDAQ:ELBM) (TSXV:ELBM) recently awarded a $6.1 million contract to EXP Services to provide engineering, project management, and construction management services during the construction phase of its Ontario battery materials refinery project. The contract covers the final phase of development for North America's first cobalt sulfate refinery.

"Electra is focused on commissioning its cobalt sulfate refinery in 2027," said Trent Mell, CEO of Electra Battery Materials. "As governments and the private sector seek to secure critical minerals and de-risk critical mineral supply chains, Electra's facility is positioned as a strategic asset to support North America's military and industrial base."

Located in Temiskaming Shores, Ontario, the refinery has completed key civil, mechanical, and structural work including foundations, utilities, and installation of solvent extraction and crystallizer equipment. Electra has also restarted procurement of automated valves, control systems, and piping components.

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SOURCES:

[1] https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/china-brief-metals-firms-rare-earth-export-controls-next-month-2026-02-12/

[2] https://www.state.gov/releases/2026/02/2026-critical-minerals-ministerial/

[3] https://bipartisanpolicy.org/article/project-vault-and-forge-the-administrations-latest-moves-to-secure-critical-minerals/