Viking Mines announced on Thursday that it had secured the necessary US federal approval for a 907-tonne bulk sample at its Linka tungsten project in Nevada. The sample, roughly equivalent to 1,000 short tons, will be used to demonstrate ore quality and processing characteristics, a prerequisite for negotiating long-term offtake deals with potential buyers. The company described the milestone as a “key step” in advancing the project amid what it called a “hot market” for tungsten.

Tungsten, known for its extreme hardness and high melting point, is classified as a critical mineral by both the US and Australian governments. It is essential in military armour, armour-piercing munitions, cutting tools, and industrial machinery. China currently accounts for more than 80% of global tungsten production, and supply chain disruptions have prompted Western nations to seek alternative sources.

The Linka project, located near the town of Tonopah in central Nevada, is a historic tungsten mine that has been inactive for decades. Viking Mines has been working to re-evaluate the deposit through modern exploration techniques. The bulk sample approval is the first major regulatory hurdle cleared in the US, and the company expects to begin extraction within weeks.

Industry observers note that the approval comes at a time when the US Department of Defense is actively looking to secure domestic supplies of tungsten for weapons manufacturing. The Biden administration has allocated billions of dollars under the Defense Production Act to build out critical mineral supply chains, and the Linka project could benefit from that push.

However, the project also faces potential headwinds. Environmental groups have raised concerns about mining impacts in the arid Nevada desert, including water use and habitat disruption. The US Bureau of Land Management’s approval for the bulk sample is limited in scope; a full-scale mining operation would require a more extensive environmental impact statement and public consultation.

Viking Mines has not disclosed the costs of the bulk sample program, but analysts expect it to run into the millions of dollars. The company is currently funded through a combination of equity and debt, and a successful bulk sample outcome could unlock further financing or offtake prepayments.

For Australian investors, the Linka project represents one of the few tungsten development assets held by an ASX-listed company outside of China. If the bulk sample confirms commercial grades, Viking Mines could become a significant Western supplier of tungsten concentrate in the second half of the decade.