Ares Strategic Mining Celebrates Opening of New Fluorspar Processing Facility in Utah

DELTA, Utah — October 8, 2026 — Leads & Copy — Ares Strategic Mining Inc. is set to officially open its new Lumps Plant in Delta, Utah, on Friday, October 9, 2026, marking a significant milestone in the company’s efforts to re-establish domestic fluorspar processing in the United States. The company announced that federal, state, and industry leaders are expected to attend the ribbon-cutting ceremony at 11:00 a.m. at the ARES Processing Facility.

The new facility is designed to process raw fluorspar extracted from Ares’ fully permitted Lost Sheep Mine into industry-ready metallurgical-grade fluorspar, known as metspar. This development comes as Ares has commenced transporting mined ore to the Delta facility and introducing live material into the processing circuit. The operations team is currently optimizing the plant's performance based on the characteristics of the Lost Sheep ore as production ramps up.

This ribbon-cutting ceremony signifies the culmination of years of permitting, mine development, engineering, construction, and financing efforts, resulting in a functional U.S. mine-to-plant operation. Ore is now being actively mined, transported to the processing facility, and run through the plant. The event provides an opportunity to acknowledge the contributions of the team, shareholders, public-sector partners, and the local community in transforming the plan into tangible infrastructure.

Confirmed attendees include U.S. Representative Mike Kennedy, representatives from the office of U.S. Senator John Curtis, Utah State Senator David P. Hinkins, Emy Lesofski, Director of the Utah Office of Energy Development, and Dana Dean, Acting Director of the Utah Division of Oil, Gas and Mining. James Walker, President and CEO of Ares Strategic Mining, and Peter Godart, President and CEO of Found Industries, will also be present. Scheduled speakers include Godart, Representative Kennedy, Walker, and a federal government representative. Ares is also coordinating attendance from representatives of the U.S. Department of Defense, U.S. Department of Energy, and the Defense Logistics Agency, with final names to be announced.

The Delta Lumps Plant will convert run-of-mine fluorspar into metallurgical-grade product for industrial customers. Metspar is primarily used in steel and aluminum production, where it functions as a crucial fluxing material. The facility represents a substantial advancement in rebuilding a domestic supply chain for fluorspar, a mineral considered strategically important for U.S. manufacturing. Ares is developing this supply chain from the ground up, encompassing mining at Lost Sheep, transportation to Delta, processing through company-built infrastructure, and preparing finished product for commercial markets. Previously, Ares announced a Memorandum of Understanding with global commodities trader Cremer Erzkontor Inc. for the distribution of its metspar product across North America.

The development of this facility was significantly supported by the State of Utah. During the 2025 General Session of the Utah State Legislature, legislation was passed that broadened the legal definition of a “throughput infrastructure project” to include infrastructure necessary for extracting and processing critical minerals. Subsequently, the Company received an $11 million state-supported loan from the Utah Community Impact Board to advance its Utah operations. This support has enabled Ares to transition from plans and engineering drawings to mine development, processing infrastructure, and physical production.

The Lumps Plant is the initial major processing component of Ares’ broader Utah strategy. The Company is also progressing with the construction of its Acidspar Flotation Plant, which is intended to produce higher-purity acid-grade fluorspar for applications in the chemical, technology, energy, and strategic-materials sectors. With mining operations underway, ore being transported to the processing site, and the Lumps Plant entering live-material operations, the ribbon-cutting ceremony will formally mark the company’s transition into an operating mine-and-processing business. Ares anticipates providing a further update following the event.

Ares Strategic Mining Inc. is focused on developing its fluorspar projects in the U.S. with the goal of becoming a major supplier of high-grade fluorspar to North American markets, supporting industries essential for modern technology and infrastructure. Its Lost Sheep Fluorspar Project in Delta, Utah, is 100% owned, spans 5,982 acres with 353 claims, and is located in the Spor Mountain area, approximately 214 km southwest of Salt Lake City. The project is fully permitted, including mining permits, and a NI 43-101 Technical Report identified extensive high-grade fluorspar with low impurity levels. The mining plan was first approved by the Bureau of Land Management on August 24, 1992, and renewed on December 12, 2016.

Source: Ares Strategic Mining Inc.