Trafigura’s Nyrstar Prepares First Antimony Exports from Australian Pilot Plant
After casting its inaugural antimony metal batch at Port Pirie, the Trafigura subsidiary aims to begin commercial shipments in the first half of 2026 under Australia’s critical minerals strategy
Trafigura’s metals unit Nyrstar has reached a pivotal milestone in Australia’s critical minerals sector by producing its first batch of refined antimony metal at a newly commissioned pilot plant in Port Pirie, South Australia, setting the stage for imminent commercial exports.
The development—part of the broader US-Australia Critical Minerals and Rare Earths Framework—represents the nation’s first domestically cast antimony and marks a significant step in diversifying global supply chains for strategic metals.
Initial shipments are slated for the first half of 2026 as the facility transitions from pilot operations to scaled export readiness.
The Port Pirie facility, long established as a multi-metals processing complex, adapted existing smelting infrastructure to accommodate antimony production, drawing on a joint A$135 million investment from the Australian federal government and the South Australian state government.
Antimony is a critical mineral used to strengthen alloys and is essential in semiconductors, defence electronics, flame-retardant materials, batteries and other advanced manufacturing applications—sectors where secure supply is increasingly crucial amid global market disruptions and geopolitical competition.
Nyrstar’s general manager at Port Pirie highlighted that casting the first antimony metal underscores the plant’s evolving role in Australia’s sovereign manufacturing capability and supports the company’s ambition to supply strategic metals to global markets.
Beyond antimony, the company is evaluating potential production of other critical and strategic metals, including bismuth and tellurium at Port Pirie, and germanium and indium at its Hobart zinc works.
The pilot plant’s output is expected to ramp up substantially over the coming years.
The company aims to increase refined antimony metal production to around 2 000 tonnes per year by the end of 2026 and potentially up to 5 000 tonnes per year by 2028, a scale that could provide a meaningful share of global supply.
This expansion aligns with policy aims to reduce reliance on concentrated sources of critical minerals and enhance supply resilience for allied industries and defence sectors.
The scheduled first export shipments in early 2026 will be closely watched as a barometer of Australia’s emerging role in critical mineral markets and Nyrstar’s ability to transition from pilot output to sustained commercial operations under this strategic initiative.
The development—part of the broader US-Australia Critical Minerals and Rare Earths Framework—represents the nation’s first domestically cast antimony and marks a significant step in diversifying global supply chains for strategic metals.
Initial shipments are slated for the first half of 2026 as the facility transitions from pilot operations to scaled export readiness.
The Port Pirie facility, long established as a multi-metals processing complex, adapted existing smelting infrastructure to accommodate antimony production, drawing on a joint A$135 million investment from the Australian federal government and the South Australian state government.
Antimony is a critical mineral used to strengthen alloys and is essential in semiconductors, defence electronics, flame-retardant materials, batteries and other advanced manufacturing applications—sectors where secure supply is increasingly crucial amid global market disruptions and geopolitical competition.
Nyrstar’s general manager at Port Pirie highlighted that casting the first antimony metal underscores the plant’s evolving role in Australia’s sovereign manufacturing capability and supports the company’s ambition to supply strategic metals to global markets.
Beyond antimony, the company is evaluating potential production of other critical and strategic metals, including bismuth and tellurium at Port Pirie, and germanium and indium at its Hobart zinc works.
The pilot plant’s output is expected to ramp up substantially over the coming years.
The company aims to increase refined antimony metal production to around 2 000 tonnes per year by the end of 2026 and potentially up to 5 000 tonnes per year by 2028, a scale that could provide a meaningful share of global supply.
This expansion aligns with policy aims to reduce reliance on concentrated sources of critical minerals and enhance supply resilience for allied industries and defence sectors.
The scheduled first export shipments in early 2026 will be closely watched as a barometer of Australia’s emerging role in critical mineral markets and Nyrstar’s ability to transition from pilot output to sustained commercial operations under this strategic initiative.
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