In March 2025, Iran’s state-run mining agency IMIDRO announced the discovery of approximately 7,000 metric tonnes of antimony, a strategic metal essential for military hardware, semiconductors, solar panels, and flame retardants. The find—spread across eight sites, including the resource-rich Sistan and Baluchestan province—could account for nearly 10% of the world’s known antimony reserves.
This discovery comes at a time when the global supply of antimony is under pressure, especially with China restricting exports and the West scrambling for alternatives.
The U.S. Department of Defense has labeled antimony a critical mineral, vital for national security and energy resilience.
With control over such a significant reserve, Iran could potentially shift rare metal trade dynamics, especially if it sells to allies like China or Russia.
Iranian officials have framed the find as a turning point for their mining sector. But in the backdrop of escalating geopolitical tensions, the question lingers:
Was this discovery a factor in the sudden surge of military aggression? Or is it just one piece in a much larger global power game?
source: Reuters
