Ares Strategic Mining Inc. has successfully completed and activated its secondary underground ventilation system at the Lost Sheep Fluorspar Mine in Juab County, Utah, representing the final regulatory and operational milestone required to commence industrial-scale mining operations. The system ensures full compliance with Mine Safety and Health Administration standards and provides continuous, high-volume airflow to active underground work areas, creating a safe operating environment for personnel and equipment.
The newly completed secondary ventilation system includes a 75-horsepower, 30-inch diameter fan generating a minimum of 30,000 cubic feet per minute of fresh airflow. Custom-built by ABC Ventilation Systems, the fan was installed along a dedicated ventilation raise that also serves as a second egress pathway, meeting MSHA's redundancy and safety requirements. The system was designed and implemented by Provo Mining & Construction, with future airflow expansion plans integrated as mining activities deepen and advance.
James Walker, CEO of Ares Strategic Mining, stated that the completion of the ventilation system marks a turning point for the company. With this vital infrastructure now in place and MSHA standards fully met, teams are cleared to ramp up to full-scale, continuous mining. This development finalizes all critical underground infrastructure required to move into continuous mining operations at scale and brings the company closer to generating consistent revenue as America's only fluorspar producer.
This achievement builds upon months of construction and underground advancement, including the completion of spiral decline development and ore access drifts, the mobilization of full mining equipment fleets, and the construction and commissioning of surface processing infrastructure. With the ventilation system online, the company is now cleared to begin ore extraction at industrial levels, supporting near-term stockpiling and processing targets.
The strategic importance of this development is amplified by fluorspar's designation as a U.S. critical mineral, vital to the production of aluminum and steel, lithium-ion batteries and fluoropolymers, hydrofluoric acid and nuclear fuel production. Ares' Lost Sheep Mine is currently the only permitted and operational fluorspar mine in the United States, positioning the company to support North American industrial supply chains and reduce dependence on foreign sources. The company's technical report identified extensive high-grade fluorspar with low levels of impurities at the Utah location, which spans 5,982 acres with 353 claims in the Spor Mountain area.
Additional corporate developments include the settlement of $64,901.13 of debt for accounting and financial services provided by Viktoriya Griffin, Prospero, and Craven Capital through the issuance of 150,933 common shares at a deemed price of $0.43 per share. The company's mining plan was originally approved by the Bureau of Land Management in 1992 and renewed in 2016, providing the regulatory foundation for current operations. More information about the company's developments can be found at https://www.newmediawire.com.
