American West Metals (ASX: AW1) is strategically advancing its flagship West Desert indium project by appointing a US government advisor, Ervin Graves Strategy Group, aiming to establish the first domestic indium supply chain.
This move aligns with US national security interests and targets potential government funding.
**Ervin Graves **has been appointed to enhance engagement with US government agencies.
The primary focus is on securing potential funding from US agencies, including the Defense Production Act Title III and the Critical Minerals Innovation Hub (DOE).
This strategic move aims to establish the first US domestic indium mine-to-market supply chain.
West Desert Project Resource Details
The West Desert project holds the largest US indium resource, totalling 23.8 million ounces at a grade of 20 g/t indium.
Beyond indium, the 100%-owned project also hosts substantial resources of zinc (1,290,904 t or 1.29 Mt), copper (49,053 t or 49 kt), and silver (9,816,779 oz or 9.8 Moz).
Indium is a critical metal vital for aerospace, defence, energy, and telecommunications sectors, with the US supply chain currently reliant on foreign sources.
This initiative strongly aligns with US National Security Strategy, which emphasises developing robust domestic critical minerals supply chains.
The company notes that West Desert's private land ownership in Utah could enable faster development approvals compared to projects on federal lands.
Upcoming Exploration and Development
A significant 2026 drill program is planned to expand the existing Mineral Resource Estimate (MRE) at West Desert.
This drilling campaign will test multiple high-priority critical-metal targets, including indium, gallium, copper, silver, and gold.
Furthermore, a waste dump resampling program is underway to assess the potential recovery of critical metals from historical mine waste.
Company's Broader Portfolio
The Storm Copper project, located in Nunavut, Canada, is actively advancing towards a Pre-Feasibility Study (PFS), which is targeted for delivery in Q1 2026.
Previous quarterly updates highlighted a major upgrade to the Storm Copper MRE, which now stands at 28.22 Mt at 0.98% Cu and 3.27 g/t Ag (equivalent to 276 kt contained copper and 2.965 Moz contained silver).
American West Metals is also progressing the Copper Warrior project in Utah, further diversifying its portfolio of strategic metal assets.
Strategic Alignment and Resource Growth
American West Metals' appointment of a US government advisor signals a concerted effort to leverage government support for its West Desert indium project.
This, combined with ongoing resource expansion and exploration programmes at both West Desert and Storm Copper, positions the company to benefit from both strategic policy tailwinds and organic project growth.
