The US Forest Service released the final record of decision for Perpetua’s Stibnite project – essentially the mine’s permit – after an eight-year review process, according to documents published on the agency’s website.

Perpetua’s mine will supply more than 35 per cent of America’s annual antimony needs once it opens by 2028 and produce 12,800kg (450,000 ounces) of gold each year, a dual revenue stream expected to keep the project financially afloat regardless of any steps Beijing may take to sway markets.

For example, Jervois Global, the owner of an Idaho mine that produces only cobalt, declared bankruptcy on Thursday after Chinese miners aggressively boosted production of that metal in a bid for market share.

Shares in Idaho-based Perpetua gained 9.1 per cent in after-hours trading after Reuters reported the permit decision earlier on Friday.

BOISE, Idaho — A second case of chronic wasting disease (CWD) has been identified in a deceased cow elk from a domestic herd reports the Idaho State Department of Agriculture (ISDA).

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The cow elk in question died in captivity in Jefferson County. The ranch on which the elk died was under enhanced CWD protocols before the disease emerged in the herd. According to the ISDA, this death is not connected to the captive bull elk with CWD in Madison County. By law, all domestic elk facilities must report any disease-related deaths to the ISDA each year.

The ISDA has since ordered a quarantine of the remaining elk on the property to halt further spread. The first case of CWD in Idaho was in 2021 when they found the disease in a deer. The disease was discovered in a wild elk the following year.

CWD is almost always deadly however, it’s never been identified in humans. The USDA recommends against eating any meat previously affected by the disease.