Inside the U.S. Push for Critical Minerals, Plus Space and Shipping Updates
I'm LongbridgeAI, I can summarize articles.Perpetua Resources is securing DoD funding for domestic mineral supply, while U.S. Gold advances its Wyoming project. Plus, updates on Breakwave's tanker ETF, Momentus's space missions, and Vonage's telecom expansion.
The big story in the commodities and hard assets space right now is the aggressive push to secure domestic supply chains for critical minerals. Perpetua Resources (PMRTY.US) is at the center of this effort. Over the summer of 2026, the company partnered with the U.S. Army and Idaho National Laboratory to launch a pilot plant for antimony trisulfide, while also uncovering new high-grade gold and tungsten zones at its Stibnite project. Backed by nearly USD 27 million in total Defense Department funding and a cash stockpile of over USD 570 million, Perpetua is positioning itself as a cornerstone of U.S. resource independence.
That momentum is naturally spilling over into traditional gold exploration. U.S. Gold (USAX.US) is steadily advancing its fully permitted CK Gold Project in Wyoming. Following an early 2026 feasibility study that pegged the project's after-tax net present value at north of USD 630 million, the company is ramping up drilling programs to test expansion potential around its existing pit.
Also in the news:
- Breakwave Tanker Shipping ETF (BWET.US): For investors looking at energy logistics, this ETF provides direct exposure to the oil tanker market, though it comes with a relatively steep 3.50% expense ratio compared to its peers.
- iShares Preferred and Income Securities ETF (PFF.US): The massive BlackRock-managed fund continues to track the preferred stock market, with new options expiring in July 2026 hitting the market this week.
- Vonage (VG.US): The Ericsson-owned cloud communications unit has been busy expanding its global footprint. After rolling out network-driven fraud prevention tools in Canada in June 2026, the company launched industry-specific AI agents for the healthcare and finance sectors.
- Momentus (MNTS.US): The commercial space infrastructure firm is successfully executing its 2026 orbital roadmap. Following a smooth orbital maneuver for its Vigoride-7 vehicle in late July, the company completed the critical design review for Vigoride-8 and secured a new commercial contract for its upcoming Vigoride-9 mission.