Locksley opens search for engineering partner to scope a Desert Antimony pilot plant

What happened and why it matters now

Locksley announced today that it has started a formal selection process to choose an engineering partner to deliver a scoping pilot plant design for its Desert Antimony project. The company says the work will focus on turning lab and bench-scale results into a credible pilot-scale plan, including basic process design, equipment sizing, cost estimates and a work program for a physical trial.

For investors, this is a clear, practical step. It signals the company is moving beyond exploration and lab work toward a stage that could generate real operational data. But it is not a guarantee of mine construction or immediate cash flow — it is the kind of de-risking program that could make later financing and offtake discussions easier, while also creating a string of near-term milestones that the market can watch.

Where Desert Antimony sits in Locksley’s plans and why a pilot plant matters

Locksley’s Desert Antimony project has been a technical story to date: exploration, metallurgical testwork and early studies showing an extractive route might be possible. What has been missing is a scaleable demonstration that the proposed flowsheet works at pilot scale and that costs can be predicted with any confidence.

A scoping pilot plant fills that gap. It is a bridge between small-scale lab tests and the large, expensive full-scale plant investors ultimately want to see. A successful pilot can prove the metallurgy, refine operating costs and identify engineering challenges early. That reduces the chance of nasty surprises later in a feasibility study or during construction.

For a commodity like antimony — which has a small, specialised market and limited processing capacity worldwide — proving the process at pilot scale is especially important. Buyers and banks often expect pilot results before they commit. So while the announcement is technical, it has direct commercial relevance.

How the partner selection will work, what the engineering scope looks like, and the likely timetable

Locksley says it will invite proposals from engineering firms to develop a scoping-level pilot plant design. The expected scope includes: validating the flowsheet for pilot-scale operation, basic process engineering, equipment lists and layouts, preliminary capital and operating cost estimates, and a recommended program for commissioning a pilot test.

Selection criteria are likely to focus on firms with hands-on metallurgical pilot experience in base and specialty metals, a track record of modular pilot installations, and an ability to supervise metallurgical testing and on-site commissioning. Environmental and health-and-safety planning for a pilot operation will also be part of the brief.

Timing is practical rather than flashy: the company expects to shortlist candidates and appoint a partner in the coming months, then move into a scoping and design phase that could take several months. If all goes to plan, the scoping outputs — a pilot design, cost estimate and test program — would be ready within the year, after which a decision on building and running a pilot would follow.

Why investors should care and what could move the share price

This is a clear catalyst pipeline: award of the engineering contract, delivery of the scoping study, construction of the pilot (if approved), and pilot metallurgical results. Each step reduces technical risk and can trigger fresh market interest.

However, the market impact should be seen as incremental. The selection itself is positive but small; the bigger value drivers will be pilot performance and how the company funds the next steps. Building and running a pilot requires cash. If Locksley needs to raise money, investors should expect potential dilution or project-level financing that changes the ownership picture.

Comparative examples in mining show that well-executed pilot programs can lift valuations because they shorten the path to bankable studies and potential buyers. Conversely, pilot failures or cost blowouts can sharply reduce enthusiasm. Right now, this is a sensible de-risking move that makes the project more investible — but it does not change the fundamental need for capital and market demand for antimony.

Key risks to the engineering program and the next milestones investors should watch

Technical risk: the pilot may reveal metallurgy or reagent consumption issues that weren’t visible at lab scale. That can change economics and timelines.

Regulatory and environmental risk: even pilot operations require permits and community engagement. Delays here can push timetables out and increase costs.

Financing risk: the company will need cash to move from scoping to pilot build and to run tests. That will likely require equity, joint ventures, or project finance.

Commodity and market risk: antimony prices and demand trends will influence buyers’ interest and the economics of any future plant.

Near-term milestones to track: appointment of the engineering partner, delivery of the scoping pilot design and cost estimate, decisions on pilot construction, and early pilot test results. Each item will be a useful signal about whether the project is moving steadily toward a feasibility study or stalling at the planning stage.

Bottom line: the engineering partner search is a practical, positive step that lowers technical uncertainty. But until a pilot is built and produces robust results — and until funding is secured — the project remains a development-stage play with meaningful execution and market risks.

Photo: ThisIsEngineering / Pexels

Sources

• prnewswire.com