Krakatoa Resources Eyes Critical Metals Boom with High-Grade Georgian Gold-Antimony Play

Key Highlights:

• Foreign resource estimate: 26Kt antimony @ 11.6% Sb, 815Koz gold @ 3.7g/t Au
• Flagship Zopkhito project in Georgia shows strong growth and processing potential
• Metallurgical work and first drilling program underway in 2025
• Positioned at the crossroads of Europe and Central Asia with export-ready infrastructure

As global demand surges for critical minerals and gold continues to attract safe-haven flows, Krakatoa Resources Ltd (ASX: KTA) has positioned itself to benefit from both macro tailwinds and project-specific advantages. The company’s flagship asset—Zopkhito, located in the mineral-rich Racha region of Georgia—is quietly emerging as a compelling dual-commodity play, offering exposure to both antimony and gold.

Antimony’s strategic relevance has soared in recent years, used in everything from flame retardants and solar panels to military-grade alloys and battery technologies. With roughly 70% of global reserves held in geopolitically unstable jurisdictions, Krakatoa’s foothold in Georgia—a mining-friendly, pro-investment nation ranked 7th globally for ease of doing business—adds an element of strategic de-risking.

At the core of the story is a foreign resource estimate anchored in historical Soviet and more recent Georgian exploration: 225,000 tonnes at 11.6% Sb for 26,120 tonnes of contained antimony, alongside 7.26 million tonnes grading 3.7g/t gold for 815,119 ounces of gold. The project spans 1,779 hectares with a valid exploration-mining licence through to 2042—providing both security and runway for development.

Source: KTA ASX Corporate Presentation

While Soviet efforts focused primarily on antimony, Krakatoa’s technical team has uncovered a significant gold halo in the footwall and hanging wall zones. Sampling campaigns yielded high-grade intercepts up to 58.4g/t Au and 82.8% Sb, and over 5,700 channel samples have been logged. Intriguingly, the gold was historically relegated to tailings and arsenic concentrate—representing a “blue sky” recovery opportunity that Krakatoa intends to explore through updated metallurgy and processing flowsheets.

Source: KTA ASX Corporate Presentation

Geologically, Zopkhito is robust. The project boasts 27km of underground adits, decades of mapping, and over 20,000 geochemical samples. Yet, only 17 out of 60 identified veins have been modeled to date. No drilling has occurred, making the upcoming maiden diamond drilling program a key catalyst.

The company has also flagged a straightforward flotation-based processing route for antimony, with rougher recoveries above 90% and final concentrate grades of 56% Sb already achieved in preliminary work. For gold, metallurgical test work is now advancing, including pressure oxidation and cyanidation pathways to unlock value from tailings and concentrate residues.

From a corporate lens, Krakatoa remains lean, with a market cap of $5.4 million, enterprise value of $4.1 million, and $1.3 million in cash. An 80% earn-in option over Zopkhito gives the company two years to complete its technical due diligence—effectively offering a staged and de-risked pathway to ownership.

Krakatoa’s leadership team brings together a blend of geological expertise, financial discipline, and market acumen—an essential mix for advancing a technically complex yet high-potential asset like Zopkhito. At the helm is CEO Mark Major, a seasoned geologist with over 30 years’ experience spanning grassroots exploration to mine development, and a strong track record in project acquisition and corporate strategy. Executive Chairman Colin Locke, with decades of mining and capital markets experience, provides strategic oversight and deal-making capability. Supporting the board are David Palumbo, a chartered accountant and corporate governance expert, and Tim Hogan, a veteran of the Australian stockbroking industry. Together, the team’s hands-on approach and deep sector knowledge position Krakatoa to extract full value from its portfolio during a pivotal time for gold and critical minerals.

CEO Mark Major (left) during his recent site visit to the Zopkhito #Antimony–#Gold Project in Georgia, alongside geologists Nigel Chapman and Sophia Adamopoulos (right).

The near-term roadmap includes geophysics and mapping (Q2 2025), maiden drilling (Q3), and metallurgy (Q4), all aimed at converting the foreign estimate into a JORC-compliant resource by 2026. A preliminary economic assessment is also on the table, which would mark a material step forward for the project’s commercialisation.

With critical mineral supply chains in flux and the market placing a premium on secure, scalable sources of antimony and gold, Krakatoa’s timing could prove prescient. The company is quietly assembling the pieces of a high-grade, near-surface resource story that ticks the boxes for grade, jurisdiction, infrastructure, and upside. 

At the time of publication, Krakatoa Resources (ASX: KTA) shares were trading at A$0.01.

This is a sponsored article, presented by Skrill Network. Krakatoa Resources (ASX:KTA) is a client. Information sourced from KTA ASX announcements and Skrill Network’s in-depth market research.