Montana Gov. Greg Gianforte helped break ground Thursday on part of an ongoing expansion of a critical mineral mining and processing operation in Thompson Falls whose owners earlier this week secured a $245 million federal contract to supply the National Defense Stockpile.

The expansion of the smelter facility at the United States Antimony Corporation’s operation in Thompson Falls — the only operating antimony smelter in the U.S. — was announced in April . The company said at the time it would expand the site’s production by six-fold, cost under $15 million, create 25 new jobs and put out more than 300 standard tons of metals per month.

Antimony is used in munitions and explosives, batteries, retardants, ammunition, semiconductors and more. The U.S. government says China controls abo

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