Ares Strategic Mining Connects Mine to Plant, Begins Processing Fluorspar Ore

Ares Strategic Mining Inc. (CSE: ARS) (OTCQX: ARSMF) (FRA: N8I1) has reached a pivotal milestone by transporting fluorspar ore from its Lost Sheep Mine in Utah to its processing facility in Delta, Utah, where it has begun entering the Metallurgical Lumps Plant for processing. This marks the first time the company has connected its mining and processing operations, transitioning from an infrastructure development phase to an integrated production phase. The company's CEO, James Walker, emphasized the significance, stating, "We have now connected the mine to the plant. This is the physical supply chain we have spent years building." Over the coming week, the operations team will use increasing quantities of mined material to optimize the plant's settings, refining feed rates, crushing performance, conveyor loading, drying parameters, and automated control sequences to establish reliable production.

The move comes as the United States remains 100% net import reliant on fluorspar, a critical mineral used in steelmaking, aluminum, refrigerants, and other industries. Ares aims to restore a domestic supply chain, having secured a multi-year Defense Logistics Agency framework for future acid-grade fluorspar supply. The Lumps Plant is designed to produce metallurgical-grade fluorspar (metspar), with a capacity that allows for future expansion. Additionally, the company is advancing an adjacent Flotation Plant to produce higher-purity acid-grade fluorspar (acidspar), which is essential for hydrofluoric acid production. This integrated strategy positions Ares to serve both industrial and strategic-material customers, providing a visible milestone for shareholders and contributing to U.S. mineral security.