Abstract
The Bureau of Mines studied the potential availability of primary antimony (sb) from demonstrated resources in 21 mines and deposits in market economy countries (mec's). Twelve of these properties were evaluated as producers and nine as nonproducers. The 21 studied properties contain 499,600 mt sb as demonstrated resources, of which 304,000 mt is recoverable as antimony metal; another 973,500 mt sb is contained in inferred resources. Recoverable antimony from demonstrated U.S. deposits is only 10,700 mt, just 3.5 pct of the mec total. Domestic production of primary antimony from operating mines has averaged only 561 mt/yr over the 10-yr period 1975-84. This represents just over 5 pct of total U.S. consumption of primary antimony, which averaged 11,081 mt/yr during the same period. The United States will thus continue to rely on imported ores and/or concentrates, antimony oxides, and metal to satisfy domestic industrial requirements. At production costs up to $1.15/Lb sb, 110,000 mt of refined antimony is potentially available from 10 of the 21 studied properties. At $2/lb, 294,000 mt sb is available, and at $3/lb, the total rises to 304,000 mt sb available from all evaluated producers of refined antimony.
