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AE Fuels Joins US Defense Consortium to Advance Critical Minerals Projects
AE Fuels Corp., a Vancouver-based critical minerals developer, announced it has joined the U.S. Defense Industrial Base Consortium (DIB). The move is intended to provide the company with access to U.S. government and industry partners to accelerate the development of its key manganese and fluorspar projects.
Strategic Move to Bolster Supply Chains
By joining the consortium, AE Fuels aims to advance its core strategy of connecting mineral resources from the U.S. and allied nations with processing technologies, customers, and government entities. The company is focused on minerals like manganese and fluorspar, which are subject to highly concentrated supply chains and significant import reliance.
"We believe the strategic value of critical minerals is realized beyond the mine gate," said CEO Gary Lewis. He added that the consortium offers another channel to collaborate with organizations "committed to closing supply chain gaps within the U.S. defense industrial base."
Company officials clarified that membership in the DIB does not represent a government contract, funding award, or official endorsement. Furthermore, it does not guarantee that the company will submit project proposals or receive any form of award.
AdKey Project Developments
AE Fuels is currently advancing two primary assets, with a strategic goal of moving both toward the development phase within the next two to three years.
- South Woodie Woodie Manganese Project (Western Australia): The project holds a NI 43-101 compliant inferred mineral resource of 11.3 million tonnes at a grade of 15% manganese. A recent pilot-scale purification program demonstrated a 95% to 99% manganese extraction rate, successfully producing battery-grade high-purity manganese sulfate monohydrate (HPMSM).
- Fluorite Ridge Fluorspar Project (New Mexico): The company is advancing technical evaluations, environmental studies, and stakeholder communications for this domestic asset. It is also assessing opportunities to develop U.S.-based processing capabilities and higher-value fluorine chemical products.
To support these projects, AE Fuels is actively seeking offtake agreements, project permits, financing, processing partners, and government support.
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