The $30 Billion Shift: Critical Minerals Enter a New Era

Issued on behalf of RUA GOLD Inc.

VANCOUVER, BC, Feb. 9, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — USA News Group News Commentary – China just flipped the table on global procurement. By locking down exports on silver, tungsten, and antimony, they signaled a strategic shift that is reshaping Western defense priorities^[1]. The response was immediate: the U.S. Government mobilized over $30 billion in diverse funding to secure critical mineral supply chains, establishing allied jurisdiction deposits as the primary hedge against supply disruption^[2]. This structural pivot elevates dual-commodity discoveries in stable regimes, positioning RUA GOLD Inc. (TSXV: RUA) (OTCQB: NZAUF), Perpetua Resources (NASDAQ: PPTA) (TSX: PPTA), United States Antimony (NYSE-A: UAMY), Eldorado Gold (NYSE: EGO) (TSX: ELD), and Foran Mining (TSX: FOM) (OTCQX: FMCXF) within a narrowing window where defense-critical utility commands acquisition premiums far exceeding traditional gold valuations.

Mining and metals M&A in 2026 centers on consolidation and supply chain security^[3], while bilateral critical minerals frameworks signed in February 2026 establish the groundwork for nations to collaborate on pricing and financing for secure projects^[2]. Capital allocation now favors polymetallic systems where geopolitical necessity intersects with proven geology, transforming once-marginal antimony credits into strategic assets that justify sector-leading takeover multiples.