By Ernest Scheyder and Jarrett Renshaw(Reuters) -United States Antimony Corporation said on Tuesday it has secured a sole-source, five-year contract worth up to $245 million from the U.S. Defense Logistics Agency to supply antimony metal ingots for the defense stockpile. Antimony — used in munitions, batteries, flame retardants, and military-grade compounds — has been flagged by defense officials as a vulnerability in the U.S. industrial base. “It’s incredibly meaningful for all our employees to play such a strategic role in strengthening our nation’s defense readiness,” USAC CEO Gary C. Evans said in a statement. The contract follows months of negotiations and builds on a growing partnership between USAC and the Department of Defense that accelerated in late 2024. (Reporting by Jarrett Renshaw in Philadelphia and Ernest Scheyder in HoustonEditing by Matthew Lewis)Brought to you by www.srnnews.com