The 10,000-Pound Gorilla vs. The Department of War

It’s rare to hear a CEO refer to their customer as the "Department of War." But when the product is antimony, essential for everything from munitions to solar panels, the stakes are higher than your average earnings call.

In a recent, eye-opening interview on the Payne Points of Wealth podcast with Ryan Payne and Christopher Payne, Gary C. Evans (CEO, United States Antimony Corporation NYSE: UAMY) was blunt: his competition is a "10,000-pound gorilla" called China. And right now, the U.S. military supply chain is uncomfortably dependent on it.

That changes now.

As revealed on the show, UAMY has formed a strategic Joint Venture with Paul Huet and Americas Gold & Silver (NYSE: USAS).

The Plan:

1. Stop shipping strategic ore from Idaho to Canada as "waste."

2. Process it domestically at UAMY’s Montana facility.

3. Create the first vertically integrated U.S. antimony supply chain since 1942.

This is national security arbitrage. The United States Department of War needs its metal back.

Friedland’s Vault: Unlocking the US Treasury with African Keys

"The answer is Africa."

When Robert Friedland took the stage at Investing in African Mining Indaba 2026 this week, he didn’t mince words about the global energy transition. With the world facing a looming deficit in critical minerals, the founder of Ivanhoe Mines (TSX: IVN) delivered a stark reality check to the industry:

"This is the beginning of the era for Africa. This continent is really going to determine the fate of the evolution of all human enterprises."

While other regions struggle with aging assets and declining grades, Friedland argues that Africa’s youthful population and unrivaled geology offer the only viable path forward. But this isn't just rhetoric, it’s now backed by the full weight of the United States government.

Fresh off a February 2 meeting with President Donald Trump at the White House, Friedland’s vision has materialized into "Project Vault", a massive $12 billion initiative to build a strategic US stockpile using African resources.

From the high-grade copper of the Kamoa-Kakula complex to the strategic zinc, gallium, and germanium of the Kipushi Mine, the message is clear: The era of "just-in-time" supply chains is dead. We are now in the era of "just-in-case," and the world's superpowers are realizing that the road to security runs directly through African soil.

The question was how to secure the future of the global economy. Friedland just gave us the answer.

Trump Invokes Cold War Powers to Mandate Pentagon Coal Purchases

President Trump is set to announce a significant shift in US energy policy this Wednesday, utilizing the Defense Production Act to mandate that the United States Department of War purchase electricity from coal-fired power plants.

This move frames domestic coal generation as a critical national security asset, necessary to support the surging energy demands of the artificial intelligence sector and ensure grid reliability during extreme weather. The initiative is paired with $175 million in U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) funding to upgrade facilities in key states like West Virginia and Ohio.

It represents a major pivot, unwinding years of regulatory pressure on the industry and positioning the military as a guaranteed customer for baseload fossil fuel power.

Is the Nickel Bear Market Finally Over?

For three years, the nickel narrative has been "lower for longer" thanks to Indonesian abundance. That era ended this week. The latest quota releases (RKAB) out of Jakarta confirm a massive strategy shift: they are defending the floor.

With the world's largest mine facing a 70% cut and Western majors like BHP already in care and maintenance, the surplus is evaporating faster than the models predicted.

The cycle has turned. Are you positioned for the squeeze?

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