Drilling Reveals Key Critical Minerals in Alaska Amid Global Supply Strain

1. Silver47 Exploration Corp. has a consulting relationship with Street Smart an affiliate of Streetwise Reports. Street Smart Clients pay a monthly consulting fee between US$8,000 and US$20,000.
2. As of the date of this article, officers and/or employees of Streetwise Reports LLC (including members of their household) own securities of Silver47 Exploration Corp.
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Silver47 Exploration Corp. (AGA:TSX.V) has announced the identification of significant concentrations of critical minerals, including antimony and gallium, at its Red Mountain Project in Alaska. This discovery follows a comprehensive review of both historic and recent drill assays from the company's 2024 drill program. These critical minerals, listed by both the United States and Canada as essential for economic security, are found alongside high-grade silver, gold, zinc, lead, and copper within the Dry Creek (DC) and West Tundra Flats (WTF) resource zones.

Notably, the Dry Creek zone revealed antimony grades up to 6,230 parts per million (ppm) and gallium levels reaching 116.4 ppm. Drill hole DC18-77 showcased an impressive 6.8-meter interval containing 2,928.4 ppm antimony, 81.7 ppm gallium, 938.7 grams per tonne (g/t) silver, 1.5 g/t gold, 3.5% zinc, 1.7% lead, and 0.4% copper.

CEO Gary R. Thompson highlighted the strategic importance of these findings in the news release, stating, "The identification of gallium and antimony, among other critical minerals, within the resource zones has the potential to add significant value to our Red Mountain project."

The discovery is timely, given recent export restrictions by China on gallium and antimony, underscoring the need for secure domestic supply chains. Gallium is pivotal for technologies such as semiconductors, LEDs, and solar cells, while antimony is critical for military applications, fire-retardant materials, and electronics.

Rising Demand for Critical Minerals Drives Growth in Antimony and Gallium Markets

The global demand for critical minerals, particularly antimony and gallium, has seen notable growth, driven by their diverse industrial applications. The U.S. National Science Foundation reported on January 29 that researchers at Boston University and Harvard University's Wyss Institute used gallium to fabricate complex tissue structures through an innovative technique called ESCAPE. Christopher Chen, senior author of the study, noted, "Our blood vessel demonstrations included trees with many branches, allowing us to model a range of healthy structures as well as diseased abnormalities."

Chen Lin pointed out that the expected acceleration of U.S. mining permitting processes could further enhance Silver47's ability to expand its resources.

A study published on Nature.com on February 11 demonstrated the successful development of a binary phase-only gallium oxide diffractive optical element, showcasing its potential in high-power laser applications. The research confirmed, "The gallium oxide device exhibited significant promise for beam shaping in laser welding and other optical domains," reflecting gallium's expanding role in optoelectronics.

Adding to this momentum, EV Resources confirmed high-grade antimony assays at its Los Lirios project in Mexico, indicating strong potential for near-term production. As reported by BullsnBears on February 12, the company's managing director, Hugh Callaghan, stated, "We were increasingly confident that our entry to the antimony market could give us near-term momentum." With antimony prices surpassing US$40,000 per tonne, this development underscored the critical importance of securing domestic supply chains amidst global shortages.

According to Maximize Market Research on maximize.com on February 12, the antimony market was valued at US$299.28 million in 2023 and was projected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5.9%, potentially reaching US$447.04 million by 2030. This growth has been fueled by the expanding use of antimony in flame retardants, lead-acid batteries, and semiconductor applications, alongside its role in enhancing the strength and durability of various alloys. The report highlighted, "The growing use of antimony in metallurgy and semiconductor applications was expected to be a major driver of the market growth."

Silver47's Red Mountain Project Poised for Growth with Strategic Resource Expansion

According to Silver47's January 2025 investor presentation, the company aims to fast-track Red Mountain toward a development milestone. The project's inferred mineral resource estimate stands at 15.6 million tonnes at 335.7 g/t AgEq, containing 168.6 million ounces of silver equivalent. The project's strategic location, 100 kilometers south of Fairbanks, Alaska, offers excellent infrastructure access, including proximity to highways, railways, and power sources. 

Upcoming catalysts for Silver47 include continued drilling to expand known resource zones and assess the full potential of identified critical minerals. The company also plans to advance permitting processes and initiate preliminary economic studies within the next few years aimed at transitioning Red Mountain from exploration to a development opportunity. Vice President of Exploration Alex Walls emphasized the growth potential, stating, "The high antimony and gallium content within both existing resource zones shows that there is more value to unlock at Red Mountain as we continue drilling to grow the already impressive polymetallic resource." 

With a robust resource base, strategic critical mineral discoveries, and favorable infrastructure, Silver47 is positioned to capitalize on growing demand for both precious metals and critical minerals essential for high-tech and industrial applications. 

Expert Insights On Silver47's Growth Potential

According to Chen Lin of What is Chen Buying? What is Chen Selling? in a note to Streetwise Reports on February 12, Silver47 Exploration Corp. presented significant growth potential due to its large silver equivalent resource and favorable market positioning.

Lin emphasized that the company's market cap of only CA$30 million reflects strong value, with its silver equivalent resource valued at approximately 17 cents per ounce in the ground. He highlighted Silver47's high leverage to rising silver prices and noted that more than 20 massive sulphide and geophysical targets identified across a 60-kilometer trend offer substantial exploration upside. Additionally, Lin pointed out that the expected acceleration of U.S. mining permitting processes could further enhance Silver47's ability to expand its resources.

Ownership and Share Structure

Silver47 has only been trading publicly for about three months despite being founded in 2021, noted Thompson.  

The company said its three largest shareholders are Eric Sprott, Crescat Capital, and management. 

Chief Executive Officer Gary Thompson owns about 20%. 

The company's market cap is CA$28.50M. Its 52-week high and low share prices are CA$0.84 and CA$0.465, respectively.