Army Funds Idaho Tungsten Exploration Contract
Industrial operators should monitor this 36-month initiative as the U.S. attempts to restart domestic tungsten mining.
Updated on Oct. 26, 2026 in Military Jobs
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The U.S. Army has awarded a $40 million contract to Perpetua Resources to evaluate the feasibility of domestic tungsten production. This 36-month initiative marks a significant push to restart tungsten mining in the U.S., a sector that has remained dormant since 2015.
Why it matters
Domestic tungsten production has been absent since 2015, forcing reliance on foreign supply chains for a metal critical to military and industrial applications. This contract aims to secure a domestic source by funding exploratory drilling and material testing in Idaho.
The 36-month Army contract is valued at $40 million, with an initial 18-month phase expected to cost $18 million. The evaluation will focus on the Stibnite Mining District, which also holds 1.37 million ounces of gold and over 95 million pounds of antimony.
The players
Perpetua Resources
An exploration and development company focused on mining projects in Idaho.
U.S. Army
A branch of the U.S. military that manages procurement for national defense supplies.
The details
The contract operates as a cost-share program where Perpetua Resources and the U.S. Army split expenses equally during the first 18 months. The funding supports geological drilling to define the mineral resource and the collection of material for processing tests. This effort seeks to identify whether the Stibnite site can support economically and operationally feasible tungsten extraction.
Timeline
2015 marked the year of the last commercial tungsten mining in the U.S.
The next 18 months will cover the initial project phase with equal cost sharing.
The full Army contract spans a 36-month duration.
Market Landscape
This project represents a formal federal effort to reverse the trend of zero domestic tungsten output that has persisted since 2015. It follows a broader pattern of government investment aimed at decoupling critical mineral supply chains from overseas dependencies.
Operators in the defense and industrial metals sectors should track the 18-month progress of this exploration phase as a signal for potential future domestic supply capacity. This investment indicates that the government is prioritizing the development of local extraction sites to mitigate dependency risks.
The takeaway
The move underscores a shift toward re-establishing domestic mineral independence through public-private cost sharing. Businesses dependent on stable metal prices should monitor the outcome of this 36-month project as an indicator of future domestic supply chain resilience.
Further reading
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