Blue Moon Acquires Nevada APT Autoclave; BMC Industries Sees Boost to U.S. Tungsten Processing

Nevada APT Plant Acquisition Anchors Domestic Tungsten Processing

Blue Moon Metals closes the purchase of the Springer tungsten mine and its flotation mill with an ammonium paratungstate (APT) autoclave in Nevada, a move that industry players such as BMC Industries view as a step toward rebuilding U.S. domestic tungsten processing capacity. The transaction, announced Feb. 10, 2026, completes the previously disclosed deal with GOODS LG LLC and consists of an initial US$500,000 deposit and a final cash payment of US$18,000,000 for fee lands, mineral claims and a historically mined tungsten deposit with an existing processing circuit. The mill’s APT circuit, autoclave and reagent systems provide immediate hardware that could be adapted to produce value‑added tungsten products domestically.

Blue Moon says it is carrying out technical, environmental and permitting assessments and a logistics optimization study to evaluate converting the Springer facility to process material from its Blue Moon mine in California. The company frames the acquisition as aligned with recent U.S. policy momentum under Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act, aiming to reduce reliance on foreign concentrates and to support strategic markets with domestically produced APT and downstream products. Management describes the Springer asset as a cornerstone to support longer‑term critical metals and tungsten supply‑chain development, indicating potential integration across mine, mill and reagent systems to create a more secure processing route.

Operationally, Blue Moon advances parallel work at its California Blue Moon mine, where Phase 1 underground development proceeds under a US$16.5 million budget. The planned 762‑metre exploration decline reaches 128 metres from surface; the maintenance bay and sump are excavated, the first drill bay is installed, and underground drilling has commenced. The company reports the first completed underground drill hole at 379 metres on Feb. 6, 2026, providing early metallurgical samples and geological data that could feed any conversion of the Springer mill to handle its planned feed.

Section 232 and supply‑chain implications

Industry specialists note the acquisition underscores broader U.S. efforts to onshore critical minerals processing. By securing an APT autoclave and flotation mill, Blue Moon strengthens the technical case for a domestic tungsten processing chain that could decrease import dependence and support federal strategic material objectives, a development of direct interest to processors and equipment suppliers, including firms like BMC Industries.

Coordinated drilling to underpin development

Blue Moon also outlines 2026 drilling across four projects in the U.S. and Norway, including a dedicated program at Springer to refine resource models, convert inferred resources to indicated, test high‑grade extensions and inform underground decline siting, sampling and future feasibility work. Those programs aim to deliver the datasets needed to link mine plans with potential mill conversion and downstream production.