Everyone's betting on new antimony mines. We're betting on needing less.
Billions are flowing into mines that won't produce at scale until 2029. Our blend cuts the antimony in flame retardants by half, without waiting on new supply.
Our flame retardant blend. Tested at 50/50 and 75/25 ratios against straight ATO.
The market is solving a shortage by digging. That takes years.
The U.S. imported 91% of the antimony it used in 2025, and three countries, led by China, mine 85% of the world's supply. The consensus answer is new mines. They're the right long-term answer, but they're slow and expensive, and even the biggest one won't come close to closing the gap.
The mine path
- CapitalAn estimated $3B+ committed in the last year, most of it to a single Idaho project
- TimelineCommercial production expected late 2028 to 2029
- ImpactAbout 6,700 tons a year at full output, roughly 15% of current U.S. demand
The NexGen path
- CapitalNo antimony mine to build. We blend existing ATO supply with halloysite.
- TimelineBlend chemistry already tested. The original technical team is ready to re-engage.
- ImpactHalf the antimony per ton of flame retardant, so every ton on the market goes twice as far
We don't compete with new mines. We make every ton they produce worth twice as much.
How the blend works.
Halloysite nanotubes are a naturally occurring clay. Blended with antimony trioxide, they deliver comparable flame-out performance and better smoke suppression with a fraction of the antimony.
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Source domestic halloysite
The blend requires very high-purity halloysite, found here in the United States and outside China's supply chain.
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Blend with antimony trioxide
Tested blends of 50/50 and 75/25 halloysite to ATO both performed against straight ATO.
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Sell into existing demand
A flame retardant for the same applications ATO already serves, from military vehicles and aircraft to electronics and protective gear.
Why this is the better bet.
Capital-light.
No pit, no smelter, no decade of permitting. The heavy capital in this market is going into supply. Our model monetizes the shortage without building it.
Cheaper for the buyer.
With ATO trading around $45,000–55,000 per ton and halloysite near $6,000, a 50/50 blend lands roughly 40% below straight ATO. Buyers save money and stretch scarce supply at the same time.
Durable demand.
Antimony averaged $25 per pound in 2025, more than double 2024, and U.S. consumption hit about 45,000 tons. New mines ease the shortage, but they don't make antimony cheap again. Using less stays valuable.
Strategic tailwind.
China still bars exports of dual-use materials to U.S. military users, and its pause on the broader U.S. ban expires November 27, 2026. Every buyer in the defense supply chain wants a way to need less.
A large market we don't have to create.
Flame retardants are the biggest single use of antimony in the U.S. Our blend goes where ATO already goes.
Vehicles
Interior linings, seating, insulation
Aircraft
Coatings, interiors, wiring insulation
Electronics
Circuit boards, wiring, enclosures
Gear
Fire-resistant uniforms, tents and shelters
Munitions
Propellants, detonator components
Why NexGen Materials.
We're an AI-first U.S. critical minerals and materials processing company. Antimony is one of 14+ critical minerals on our roadmap, and the one where the need is most urgent.
Explore NexGen Materials- Tested chemistrySuccessful outcomes at 50/50 and 75/25 ratios, with the original team ready to re-engage.
- A domestic inputThe halloysite the blend depends on is found in the U.S., not China.
- Federal research partnersNexGen is executing a $2M DOE Topic 2A award with the University of Utah and Idaho National Laboratory.
- AI-first processingWe apply vertical AI to solve hard materials processing problems faster.
Back the other side of the antimony trade.
We're speaking with investors now. Request the investor brief for the economics, the roadmap and the team.
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