Ares Strategic Mining Inc. will host a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Friday, October 9, 2026, at 11:00 a.m. at its ARES Processing Facility in Delta, Utah, formally opening the company's new Lumps Plant and marking a major milestone in the return of domestic fluorspar processing to the United States. The event, announced via NEWMEDIAWIRE, will bring together federal and state officials, industry leaders, and local stakeholders to recognize the completion of infrastructure that connects Ares' Lost Sheep Mine directly to a purpose-built processing operation.
The new facility processes raw fluorspar from the fully permitted Lost Sheep Mine into metallurgical-grade fluorspar, known as metspar. Metspar is used principally in steel and aluminum production, where fluorspar acts as an important fluxing material. The plant's opening is especially significant because Ares is developing the supply chain from the ground up: mining ore at Lost Sheep, transporting it to Delta, processing it through company-built infrastructure, and preparing finished product for commercial markets. Ares has previously announced a Memorandum of Understanding with global commodities trader Cremer Erzkontor Inc. relating to distribution of its metspar product across North America.
"We have reached the moment when years of permitting, mine development, engineering, construction and financing have become a working U.S. mine-to-plant operation," said James Walker, President and CEO of Ares Strategic Mining. "Ore is being mined, trucked to our facility and run through the plant. Friday gives us the opportunity to recognize the team, shareholders, public-sector partners and local community who helped turn that plan into physical infrastructure. For Ares, this is the beginning of an entirely new chapter."
Confirmed attendees include U.S. Representative Mike Kennedy, Carson Brown 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, Dana Dean, Acting Director of the Utah Division of Oil, Gas and Mining, James Walker, and Peter Godart, President and CEO of Found Industries. Scheduled speakers include Peter Godart, U.S. Representative Mike Kennedy, James 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 Defense Logistics Agency.
The ceremony also recognizes Utah's support for domestic critical-mineral infrastructure. During the 2025 General Session of the Utah State Legislature, legislation broadened the legal definition of a "throughput infrastructure project" to include infrastructure required for extracting and processing critical minerals. Ares subsequently received an $11 million state-supported loan through the Utah Community Impact Board to advance its Utah operations.
The Lumps Plant is the first major processing component of Ares' broader Utah strategy. The company is also advancing construction of its complementary Acidspar Flotation Plant, which is intended to produce higher-purity acid-grade fluorspar for chemical, technology, energy, and strategic-material applications. With mining underway, ore moving to the processing site, and the Lumps Plant entering live-material operations, the ribbon cutting provides a formal public marker of the company's transition into an operating mine-and-processing business. Ares expects to provide a further update following the ceremony. The original release can be viewed on www.newmediawire.com.
