Gekko Systems is proud to announce our collaboration with Nyrstar Port Pirie, South Australia, in achieving a major technical milestone: the successful production and casting of Australia’s first antimony metal from their pilot plant.
This achievement marks a critical step toward exporting refined antimony by the first half of 2026, with production expected to ramp up to 2,000 tonnes per annum by the end of that year and potentially 5,000 tonnes by 2028. At full scale, Port Pirie could supply nearly 15% of global demand and almost 100% of US import requirements as quoted by Nyrstar.
Our Contribution: Electrowinning Innovation
As part of this project, Gekko Systems supplied the electrowinning cell and rectifier that powered the pilot plant. Delivered in partnership with Cadia Systems, the electrowinning cell reflects Gekko’s state of the art approach to metal recovery. The electrowinning cell, its cathodes and anodes were redesigned according to Nyrstar’s technical specifications to suit this specific antimony recovery application.
Electrowinning is the recovery of metals such as gold, copper, silver, and now antimony, from solutions by passing a current through the liquid. Electrons from the current chemically reduce the metal ions, forming a solid compound on the cathode.
Compared to traditional zinc precipitation methods, electrowinning offers:
- Higher efficiency of recovery with lower operating costs
- Cleaner product output that is straightforward to smelt
- High throughput capability, engineered to handle large volumes of high value solutions
- Greater process uptime and yields, with less washing and efficient cathode cleaning
These advantages make electrowinning a low-cost, high-performance option for producers, enabling increased profitability and reliable supply of strategic metals.
Strategic Impact
Antimony is a critical metal essential for energy, lead production, and advanced manufacturing, with applications ranging from night vision goggles to semiconductors, fibre optics, batteries, sheet and pipe metals, fire-retardants, solar panels, and consumer electronics.
Its production at Port Pirie highlights Australia’s growing role in sovereign manufacturing capability and strengthens contributions to the US-Australia Critical Minerals and Rare Earths Framework signed in Washington D.C in October 2025.
General Manager for Nyrstar Port Pirie, Darin Cooper, emphasised the importance of this milestone:
“Producing our first antimony metal is a major step forward for Nyrstar and for Australia’s critical minerals supply chain. This project demonstrates Port Pirie’s ability to produce strategic metals at scale and supports our ambition to be a reliable supplier to global markets.”
Beyond antimony, Nyrstar is also assessing production of other strategic metals including bismuth, tellurium, germanium, and indium, all critical to clean energy and defence. With strong government support and a $1.7 billion annual contribution to Australia’s economy, Nyrstar’s operations provide 1,400 direct jobs and support 6,600 indirect jobs.
Gekko Systems is proud to support this vision, bringing innovative electrowinning technology to the forefront of Australia’s critical minerals journey.
