Trigg’s previous exploration efforts have centred around the Wild Cattle Creek antimony deposit 40km west of Coffs Harbour, considered by the company as “Australia’s highest-grade undeveloped antimony resource”.

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In September, Trigg announced it had purchased a mining exploration licence (EL 9668) and two exploration licence applications covering large swathes of the Nambucca Valley from various prospecting companies.

“Trigg signed a binding purchase agreement with Bullseye Gold Pty Ltd to acquire the ultra-high-grade Taylors Arm (EL 9668) and Spartan (ELA 6801) antimony projects in northern New South Wales,” Trigg’s September quarterly activities report stated.

“Following the quarter, each project was further expanded through the acquisition of additional tenement applications: Spartan West (ELA 6821), acquired from Obscure Minerals Pty Ltd, and Taylors Arm East (ELA 6802) from Pinpoint Prospecting Pty Ltd.

“Taylors Arm (EL 9668 and ELA 6802) covers 79 historical antimony workings in six mineral camps.”

The announcement stated Trigg had “an established exploration team and was “funded to commence exploration activities immediately”.

EL 9668 was granted on 27 June 2024 to Bullseye Gold Pty Ltd and is set to expire on 27 June 2027.

Despite Trigg’s announcement, the NSW Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) still listed the licence as being owned by Bullseye Gold as of 11 November.

The Department told NOTA that any change in holder of the exploration licence would require approval under the Mining Act 1992.

The licence is split into two sections, with the upper section covering parts of Upper Taylors Arm, Yarranbella, Burrapine, South Arm, Thumb Creek, Buckra Bendinni and Argents Hill, and the lower section covering parts of Hickeys Creek, Mungay Creek, Willawarrin and Deep Creek.

Speaking to an investors webinar on 11 November, Trigg Minerals Chief Geologist Jonathan King highlighted the antimony mining potential of the site.

“There are a lot of workings that have been identified through this area,” Mr King told the webinar.

“In nearly every one of these workings, is at least at 25 percent antimony.

“Many exceed 50 percent antimony.”

Antinomy is a metallic element with significant applications in renewable energy, defence, and high-tech industries, and is recognised as a critical mineral resource in Australia.

Mr King said global demand for antimony was growing due to an export ban introduced in China in August, who had long been the dominant supplier.

“Chinese deposits are reducing now, the grade is lowering, and the Chinese are getting a bit more concerned about the need to preserve their antimony for their own weapons development,” Mr King said.

“They have effectively put the shutters down on the export market and that has seen the pricing mechanism for antimony respond, and it has responded very well – up around three times from where it was 12 months ago.”

Industry publication Stockhead lists the current (26 November) price of antinomy at US$33,500 per metric tonne.

Mr King said there was “a great big gap in the market right now and no one to fill it”.

“Western nations and companies are scrambling to fill that spot and we (Trigg) are one of them.”

Lock the Nambucca Valley (LNV) has been keeping a close eye on mining activities in the region since 2012.

Spokesperson Georgette Allen said the State Government’s policies on critical minerals have “communities on high alert”.

“Our State Government prioritises mining over community needs,” she said.

“They have supplied miners with a policy framework that ignores the community’s history of opposition to mining, and opened up historical sites to be revisited.

“Our Valley has had a history of antimony and gold mining in late 1800s and into early 1900s.

“The legacy is still felt.

“Ten million tax payer dollars were spent decontaminating the Urunga wetland site from antimony processing.”

In a statement to media last week, Minister for Natural Resources Courtney Houssos said with 21 of the 31 nationally declared critical minerals, NSW is “well placed to play an important role in a clean energy future built on critical minerals”.

“The Minns Labor Government’s updated Critical Minerals and High-Tech Metals Strategy includes a $250 million royalties deferral to help get new projects up and running, as well as a series of actions to boost local manufacturing and processing opportunities.”

Ms Allen said LNV acknowledges that critical minerals are needed for Australia’s transition to renewable energy, however “strongly opposes any industrial scale mining that would clearly threaten our environment, livelihoods, and water resources”.

“LNV campaigns against all industrial scale mining in our area.”

In total there are currently three exploration licences held over land within the Kempsey and Nambucca LGAs, according to DPIRD.

Four additional mining exploration licence applications have also been submitted across the two LGAS.

According to legislation, holders of exploration licences and assessment leases must engage in adequate, inclusive and appropriate community consultation about planning and conducting exploration activities.

An exploration licence authorises the holder to prospect for critical minerals or resources on land covered by the licence.

Prospecting activity cannot be undertaken unless the licence holder has an access arrangement agreed with the landholder or determined by an arbitrator.

According to DPIRD, titleholders can undertake “low-impact exploration activity” such as geological mapping, sampling or coring using hand-held equipment.

Any other exploration activities require further assessment and approval under legislation.

News Of The Area contracted Trigg Minerals for comment.

By Doug CONNOR