Ares Strategic Mining Inc. (CSE: ARS, OTC: ARSMF, FRA: N8I1) has announced that mining operations at its Lost Sheep Fluorspar Mine in Utah are now actively underway, with several thousand tons of fluorspar ore successfully mined and stockpiled at surface. This milestone transitions the company from development to production build-up, accelerating momentum toward sustained acidspar output.
The company's underground operations are advancing steadily, with ore being extracted, transported to surface, and organized into structured stockpiles to support upcoming processing runs. The current stockpiling phase allows Ares to build strategic ore inventory ahead of flotation plant commissioning, optimize blending and grade control for consistent processing performance, ensure uninterrupted feedstock supply once processing begins, and demonstrate visible, measurable production momentum.
According to James Walker, President and CEO of Ares Strategic Mining, 'Seeing hundreds of tons of ore at surface is a powerful validation of the hard work our team has put into bringing the Lost Sheep back into production. This is real progress – tangible, measurable, and visible. We are building momentum step by step, and our shareholders can see the results on the ground.'
Fluorspar is a designated U.S. critical mineral essential for steel and aluminum manufacturing, fluorochemicals and refrigerants, semiconductor and electronics production, clean energy technologies, and defense and national security applications. As the only permitted and operating fluorspar mine in the United States, Ares reinforces its position as a cornerstone of domestic supply. The commencement of stockpiling demonstrates operational readiness and the company's commitment to disciplined execution and long-term value creation.
Over the coming weeks, Ares expects to continue expanding surface stockpiles, advance flotation plant readiness, prepare for initial processing runs, and move closer to steady-state production. The company also announced it has settled $185,199.23 CAD for services rendered by issuing 381,854 common shares, subject to a statutory hold period.
The Lost Sheep Fluorspar Project is 100% owned, comprising 5,982 acres and 353 claims in the Spor Mountain area, Juab County, Utah, approximately 214 km south-west of Salt Lake City. It is fully permitted, with mining permits originally approved by the Bureau of Land Management in 1992 and renewed in 2016. A NI 43-101 Technical Report identified extensive high-grade fluorspar with low levels of impurities.
This operational progress strengthens America's critical mineral supply chain by reducing reliance on imports for a mineral vital to national security and advanced manufacturing.
