Ares Strategic Mining Inc. (CSE: ARS) (OTC: ARSMF) (FRA: N8I1) has announced the successful completion and activation of its secondary underground ventilation system at the Lost Sheep Fluorspar Mine in Juab County, Utah. This milestone satisfies the final regulatory and operational requirement needed to commence industrial-scale mining in full compliance with Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) standards.
The secondary ventilation system, engineered, installed, and tested to provide continuous, high-volume airflow to active underground work areas, ensures a safe and compliant environment for personnel and equipment. The system includes a 75-horsepower, 30-inch diameter fan generating a minimum of 30,000 cubic feet per minute (CFM) of fresh airflow, custom-built by ABC Ventilation Systems. It was installed along a dedicated ventilation raise that also serves as a second egress pathway, meeting MSHA's redundancy and safety requirements. Designed and implemented by Provo Mining & Construction (PMC), the system includes plans for future airflow expansion as mining activities deepen.
James Walker, CEO of Ares Strategic Mining, stated, "The completion of the ventilation system marks a turning point for Ares. With this vital infrastructure now in place and MSHA standards fully met, our teams are greenlit to ramp up to full-scale, continuous mining. This is the final step before true production begins - and it brings us closer than ever to generating consistent revenue as America's only fluorspar producer."
This development builds upon months of construction and underground advancement, including completion of spiral decline development and ore access drifts, mobilization of full mining equipment fleets such as loaders, articulated trucks, and jumbo drills, and construction of surface processing infrastructure (Lumps Plant). With the ventilation system online, the company is now cleared to begin ore extraction at industrial levels, supporting near-term stockpiling and processing targets.
Fluorspar is a U.S.-designated critical mineral vital to the production of aluminum, steel, lithium-ion batteries, fluoropolymers, hydrofluoric acid, and nuclear fuel. Ares' Lost Sheep Mine is currently the only permitted and operational fluorspar mine in the United States, placing the company in a unique position to support North American industrial supply chains and reduce dependence on foreign sources.
Additionally, Ares announced it has agreed to settle $64,901.13 of debt incurred for accounting and financial services provided by Viktoriya Griffin, Prospero, and Craven Capital by issuing 150,933 common shares at a deemed price of $0.43 per share.
