A Pentagon Tungsten Rule Is Seven Weeks Out, and a New Mexico Explorer Has Its Drill Plan
Key Highlights
- ➤January 1, 2027, DFARS restriction expands to cover tungsten ore and feedstock from four countries
- ➤U.S. tungsten mine production remained zero from 2021 through 2025, per USGS estimates
- ➤Western Star’s Eagle Point survey traced a 3-kilometre granite-limestone contact beneath cover
- ➤Western Star planned 17-hole, approximately 1,850-metre drill program, including six step-outs
- ➤Perpetua secured a 36-month, $40 million Army award to evaluate Idaho tungsten production
- ➤Materion raised full-year adjusted EPS guidance to $7.10 to $7.40
Expert Statements
Blake Morgan, CEO and President of Western Star Resources
“The drone survey has done exactly what we needed it to do at Eagle Point”
Blake Morgan, CEO and President of Western Star Resources
“With the contact mapped and the 3D model updated, we are going into the maiden drill program with a much clearer picture of where to put the holes”
Jon Cherry, President & CEO of Perpetua Resources
“Resilient mineral solutions start here in America”
Jon Cherry, President & CEO of Perpetua Resources
“The U.S. Army's additional investment in a historically proven American tungsten source at Stibnite underscores the growing strategic value of Stibnite's mineral endowment and continues to strengthen the partnerships supporting Perpetua's future. Historical production and recent exploration results suggest Stibnite has the potential to be one of the world's highest-grade tungsten sources.”
Jugal Vijayvargiya, President & CEO of Materion
“Our third quarter results demonstrate the power of our advanced materials portfolio and the strong momentum building across the company. The team’s commitment to delivering for our customers across diverse end markets drove double-digit growth in each business segment and resulted in another quarter of record sales and earnings”
Kimberly A. Fields, Board Chair, President and CEO of ATI
“We had a strong third quarter, exceeding the high-end of our guidance. We are raising our full-year outlook for adjusted EBITDA by $35 million. This follows the $125 million increase in our outlook just last quarter”
Rob Krcmarov, President and Chief Executive Officer of Hecla Mining Company
“Our third quarter results reflect the strength of the platform we have built, and we are well positioned to achieve our 2026 guidance. We generated record free cash flow of $151 million, led by Greens Creek's record $147 million.”
VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Nov. 11, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- USA News Group News Commentary - On January 1, 2027, a Pentagon contract clause starts reaching all the way back to the mine. From that date, Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement clause 252.225-7052 extends its restriction on tungsten metal powder and tungsten heavy alloy from China, Russia, Iran and North Korea to include the mining or production of tungsten ore or feedstock, and the U.S. Geological Survey says tungsten has not been mined commercially in the United States since 2015. With that date about seven weeks out, a tungsten explorer in New Mexico has positioned its planned drill holes along a contact it traced beneath cover. Companies mentioned in today’s commentary include: Western Star Resources Inc. (CSE: WSR) (OTC: WSRIF) (FRA: 4K2), Perpetua Resources Corp. (Nasdaq: PPTA) (TSX: PPTA), Materion Corporation (NYSE: MTRN), ATI Inc. (NYSE: ATI), Hecla Mining Company (NYSE: HL).
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