American Tungsten’s Ali Haji on Fast-Tracking One of the World’s Highest-Grade Tungsten Mines

Tungsten is not just another industrial metal—it is, as Ali Haji puts it, “the number one military metal,” and American Tungsten Corp. (CSE: TUNG | OTCQB: DEMRF) intends to be first to production in North America within 12 to 18 months. Speaking from the company’s headquarters in Canada, Haji describes the Ima Mine Project in Idaho as “a strategic asset” at a time when the U.S. is explicitly funding domestic tungsten supply to shore up national security. The project’s competitive edge is speed: a past producer with over 35,000 feet of historical drilling, located entirely on private, patented land, and well above the water table—eliminating the need for complex federal permitting. “Given our very high grade, our private patented land, and the DSO model, our path to production is significantly quicker than any of our peers in North America,” he says.That grade—0.63% tungsten—is not only high, it is exceptional. “Looking at the average grade of tungsten mines around the world… you will have grades anywhere between 0.11% all the way up to 0.23%,” Haji notes. “The grade at American Tungsten sits at about 0.63%… probably among the top three highest grades in the world.” The economics are further sweetened by by-product credits: 2 ounces of silver per ton, worth roughly $77 to $82, and 0.15% molybdenum, adding another $18 to $22. “About $100 comes back to the company in credits with respect to every ton of ore mined,” Haji says, emphasizing that this materially lowers production costs under their direct shipping ore (DSO) strategy.The company’s execution is as much about people as geology. “We’ve got mine builders and government relationships on our board,” Haji says. That includes Dan Nicholas, former head of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Loan Program Office—where he managed a record $40 billion fund—and Jim Whittaker, Chief Operating Officer of Capstone Copper, ex-President of Escondida, and veteran of BHP and Barrick. The newest addition, VP of Mining Engineering David Sabourin, “has experience building underground mines historically, and we’re very fortunate to have him come on board.” This leadership team, Haji argues, is what will convert the Ima Mine from a historic producer to a modern critical-mineral hub in record time.Haji’s approach to corporate communications reflects the same discipline he applies to mine development. “Each time a press release is put out by the company, we will ensure that it highlights a material change in our operational model,” he says. “The intent for us is not to put out news that is repeating what has already been said in the market.” That commitment was evident in American Tungsten’s August 11 update, detailing the rehabilitation of the mine’s Zero Level portal, road improvements for heavy vehicles, and ongoing coordination with the Department of Defense, Department of Energy, Defense Logistics Agency, DARPA-E, Export-Import Bank, and Industrial Base Policy offices. The next quarter promises visible milestones: “We just completed a very significant financing. We announced $2.5 million—we raised $7 million,” Haji says, pointing to strong institutional participation as “sticky money that’s validated our value proposition.” With roads nearing completion, timber arriving for portal rehabilitation, and plans for 6,000 to 10,000 feet of underground drilling leading to an updated resource statement in the fall, Haji’s focus is clear: “We are currently rehabilitating our mine site… and then move towards the investment decisions that allow us to come online with production in 12 to 18 months.”