US Army opens military bases for critical minerals processing plants

The US Army is doing something it hasn’t really done before: inviting private companies onto military bases to build mineral processing facilities. The goal is straightforward, even if the logistics aren’t. Reduce America’s dependence on foreign sources, particularly China, for the minerals that keep the defense supply chain running.

On December 19, 2025, the Army issued a Request for Information targeting companies interested in leasing underutilized land on military installations. The mechanism is called the Enhanced Use Leasing program, and it’s designed to turn idle acreage into productive real estate while generating revenue for the Army and bolstering domestic processing capacity.

Bullet primers first, bigger ambitions later

The first mineral in the crosshairs is antimony trisulfide. If that sounds obscure, here’s why it matters: it’s a critical ingredient in bullet primers. Without antimony trisulfide, ammunition doesn’t work the way it’s supposed to.

The Army has already built a modular refinery capable of producing between seven and ten metric tons of antimony trisulfide annually. That refinery was developed with $30 million in funding and is being tested at the Idaho National Laboratory.

Perpetua Resources, a mining company with an antimony project in Idaho, is a key partner in the effort. The company sources the raw material domestically, which is the entire point of this exercise.

China dominates global antimony production, and Beijing has shown a willingness to use mineral export controls as a geopolitical lever. In 2021, China ceased shipments of antimony trisulfide, significantly depleting the Army’s stockpile and raising alarms about supply chain vulnerabilities.

Why military bases make sense

The Enhanced Use Leasing program lets the military monetize underutilized land while simultaneously addressing a national security vulnerability. Military installations already have infrastructure, security, and in many cases, proximity to transportation networks.

This initiative traces back to broader policy discussions that began during the Trump administration in March 2025. Those conversations centered on the uncomfortable reality that America’s defense industrial base depends on minerals refined overseas, often by strategic competitors.

The program also has economic objectives beyond national security. The Army has explicitly stated that creating local jobs near military installations is part of the calculus.

What this means for investors

Perpetua Resources is the most obvious company to watch. The firm’s Idaho antimony project is already integrated into the Army’s supply chain plans, and government contracts in the defense sector tend to be sticky once established.

Mineral processing is capital-intensive and margins can be thin, especially when competing against established foreign producers that benefit from lower labor costs and less stringent environmental regulations. The $30 million invested in the antimony refinery is a start, but scaling domestic processing across multiple minerals will require significantly more capital.

There’s also a question of demand consistency. Government procurement can be unpredictable. Budgets shift, administrations change priorities, and contracts get restructured. Companies that build facilities on military land will need long-term lease guarantees and procurement commitments to justify the investment.

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