Category: 3. Business

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) deepened its reliance on Microsoft’s cloud technology last year as the agency ramped up arrest and deportation operations, leaked documents reveal.

ICE more than tripled the amount of data it stored in Microsoft’s Azure cloud platform in the six months leading up to January 2026, a period in which the agency’s budget swelled and its workforce rapidly expanded, according to the files.

ICE appears to be using a range of Microsoft’s productivity tools, as well as AI-driven products, to search and analyse the data it holds in Azure. Files suggest some of the agency’s own tools and systems may also be running on Microsoft servers.

The documents – obtained by the Guardian and its partners +972 Magazine and Local Call – raise questions about whether Microsoft technology is facilitating an immigration crackdown by an agency accused of conducting unlawful operations and using excessive force on a large scale.

ICE enforcement operations have surged over the past year as part of the Trump administration’s mass deportation campaign. The agency is now at the centre of a battle in Congress over its funding, sparked by the deaths of two people in Minneapolis, that has led to a partial shutdown of the US government.

In July, ICE received a $75bn budget increase, making it the highest-funded US law enforcement body. With this unprecedented increase in funds, the agency has embarked on a spending spree on technology, awarding contracts to large firms such as Palantir alongside lesser-known providers.

ICE, which has been likened to a domestic surveillance agency, enjoys access to vast troves of data on people living in the US. It has a growing arsenal of surveillance technology, including facial recognition apps, phone location databases, drones, and invasive spyware.

As the agency expanded through 2025, it boosted spending on cloud computing. Amazon and Microsoft, both longtime providers to ICE and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), have emerged as beneficiaries of deals worth tens of millions of dollars struck by third-party resellers.

The leaked documents do not specify the kinds of information stored by ICE on Microsoft servers. However, they indicate the agency has used Azure services including “blob storage” of raw data, as well as AI tools that analyse images and videos, and translate text.

In January, according to the files, ICE held almost 1,400 terabytes in Azure, which if only comprised of photographs would be equivalent to approximately 490m images. This was up from 400 terabytes in July 2025 after climbing through the second half of last year, files suggest.

ICE is also using virtual machines on Azure, according to the documents. These are effectively computers that run in the cloud but that can be accessed remotely. ICE appears to be renting these high-powered computers to run software.

The agency, which has more than doubled its workforce since January 2025, is also understood to have significantly expanded its access to Microsoft’s suite of productivity apps which provide users with access to document management tools and an AI chatbot.

It’s unclear from the files whether ICE is using Azure to store or analyse information collected through any of its surveillance or intelligence gathering activities, or whether the cloud platform supports other functions, such as the running of detention centres or deportation flights. ICE did not respond to a request for comment.

A spokesperson for Microsoft said it “provides cloud-based productivity and collaboration tools to DHS and ICE, delivered through our key partners”. They said Microsoft’s policies and terms of service “do not allow our technology to be used for the mass surveillance of civilians, and we do not believe ICE is engaged in such activity”.

The spokesperson added: “There are currently many public issues relating to immigration enforcement, and we believe Congress, the executive branch, and the courts have the opportunity to draw clear legal lines regarding the allowable use of emerging technologies by law enforcement.”

According to Microsoft sources, several employees have in recent months raised concerns internally about ICE’s use of the company’s technology, including by filing internal ethics reports.

In December 2025, the company responded to one such report by stating that it does not have any current contracts that “support immigration enforcement”. The company later appeared to narrow this position. It acknowledged to employees it has contracts with ICE and DHS, but said it “does not presently maintain AI services contracts tied specifically to enforcement activities”.

Microsoft is not alone in facing disquiet among employees over its business with federal immigration authorities. For large US tech groups, ICE and sister agency Customs and Border Protection (CBP) have long been customers, but have become increasingly controversial for their aggressive tactics and involvement in fatal shootings.

Last week, Amazon workers and activists protested outside the company’s Seattle headquarters, demanding the company cut ties with federal immigration agencies. The company benefits from a series of large cloud deals with DHS to provide cloud infrastructure to ICE and CBP.

At Google, which provides cloud services to both agencies, more than 1,300 workers have signed a recent petition with a similar set of demands. “DHS is violating civil and national law as well as civil and human rights,” the petition reads. “We must end our complicity in powering them.”

• Beyond the headlines: inside stories from the Guardian’s investigations team. On 16 March, join the Guardian’s investigations team, Paul Lewis, Sirin Kale, Lucy Osborne, David Conn and Harry Davies, for a deep dive into the stories behind some of the Guardian’s biggest headlines. Book tickets here

Insider Brief

• Kipu Quantum announced general availability of Rimay, a quantum feature extraction service designed to enhance classical machine learning model performance.
• Rimay integrates into existing ML pipelines and has been deployed on IBM Quantum hardware, with reported accuracy improvements across industrial use cases including credit risk, predictive maintenance, and leak detection.
• The service is available via the Kipu Quantum Hub alongside Illay and Miray, expanding the company’s quantum machine learning toolkit for enterprise applications.

PRESS RELEASE — Kipu Quantum, a leading provider of quantum software applications, today announced general availability of Rimay Quantum Feature Extraction, a service proven to boost the performance of classical machine learning (ML) models. Rimay integrates into existing ML pipelines and enhances model accuracy by extracting richer quantum features from the same data. This applies particularly to cases where data is scarce, noisy, or imbalanced. 

Enterprise users across manufacturing, financial services, life sciences, and energy have already seen gains using Rimay on IBM Quantum hardware, demonstrating consistent improvements on classical benchmarks. 

High Impact Results Across Sectors 

Rimay has supported customer projects, including: 

• Komatsu Peru and NTT Data Latam and Europe used Kipu to get trustworthy predictive maintenance insights from scarce equipment data.
• KPMG used Rimay to classify tree species from limited satellite imagery, delivering clearer quantum-enhanced environmental intelligence. 
• Moeve used Kipu’s technology to analyse thermal imaging and quantum-enhanced leak detection in oil & gas pipelines. 

Organisations have also seen results across a wide range of other industry use cases: 

• Credit risk assessment: +5% accuracy vs classical models 
• Oil pipeline leak detection: +13% balanced accuracy 
• Molecule toxicity prediction: +5–10% accuracy 
• Semiconductor fault detection: +20% accuracy 
• Drug-induced autoimmune reaction prediction: +7% accuracy 
• Company bankruptcy prediction: +4% predictive performance improvement 

How It Works: Quantum for Machine Learning 

Rimay Quantum Feature Extraction operates as a closed-loop ecosystem where Classical AI and Quantum Computing continuously amplify one another. By mapping complex datasets into a quantum state space, Rimay exposes hidden patterns and high-order correlations that are mathematically invisible to classical computers. At its core, the feature extraction protocol employs digitized counterdiabatic driving to rapidly evolve the system, bypassing typical noise constraints to leverage k-local many-body spin dynamics. These capture both linear variable-to variable contributions and higher-order multi-correlations, signal that classical models miss and as a result overfit, and feed them back as superior features to maximize ML performance. Results validate superior performance on 156-qubit processors across image, tabular, and time series data over purely classical methods. Rimay converts theoretical quantum dynamics into practical, immediate industrial quantum usefulness that scales along with hardware roadmaps. 

Enrique Solano, CEO of Kipu Quantum: “We started Kipu to deliver measurable value to industry with quantum computers. Not in five years, but now. When our customers in predictive maintenance, finance, and life sciences consistently outperform their classical baselines using quantum-enhanced features at the quantum advantage level, that is industrial quantum usefulness. Rimay now joins Illay and Miray on the Kipu Quantum Hub, where quantum becomes a competitive advantage, you subscribe to.”

Rimay is now available on the Kipu Quantum Hub, alongside other quantum services like Illay and Miray Quantum Optimizers. Rimay is the first module of Kipu’s growing QML toolkit. 

For more information or to request access, you can visit – https://hubspot.kipu-quantum.com/rimay 

Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd today announced a strategic partnership with Fortress GB, a global leader in sports fan engagement and access technology. The partnership will see Fortress GB’s real time access, loyalty, and campaign engine integrated into Samsung Wallet, providing millions of sports fans with a seamless, end to end digital experience for live events.

Through this partnership, fans of sports teams, venues and event organisers powered by Fortress GB, whose client base includes the Premier League, MLB, NFL, NBA, MLS, NHL and USGA, plus major events like Live Nation concerts, can store tickets, season passes and memberships directly in Samsung Wallet. Beyond access, the integration unlocks personalised matchday experiences with real time offers, loyalty rewards and tailored incentives, directly through Samsung Wallet.

Fortress GB brings 25 years of sports industry experience and a client base of over 160 teams, venues and events worldwide. By integrating Fortress GB’s platform with Samsung’s advanced NFC (Near Field Communication) technology, the partnership ensures a seamless stadium entry process for fans, where devices work seamlessly with Fortress’s mobile scanning and multidimensional credential management systems.

“At Samsung, we are committed to using technology to simplify and enrich the daily lives of our users,” said Woncheol Chai, EVP and Head of the Digital Wallet Team, Mobile eXperience (MX) Business at Samsung Electronics. “Sport has a unique power to connect people, and through this partnership with Fortress GB, we are making the stadium experience more seamless than ever. By bringing digital ticketing, personalised rewards, and secure access together in Samsung Wallet, we are ensuring that fans can focus on what really matters: the action on the pitch, field and the court.”

Gabi Vago, CEO of Fortress GB, said: “Samsung Wallet already plays a central role in how people move, pay and interact every day. By integrating the Fortress platform with Samsung Wallet, we are enabling clubs and venues to connect live event access, payments and rewards into a single experience. This allows fan attendance and spend to be recognised in real time through a platform fans already know and trust.”

For clubs and venues, the integration is designed for rapid deployment, leveraging Fortress GB’s existing integrations and infrastructure. Fortress customers are expected to see Samsung Wallet capabilities go live ahead of upcoming seasons, enabling teams to enhance fan engagement and unlock new monetisation opportunities through a secure, unified digital platform.

Aon Expands Ferrari Partnership into High-Performance Sailing, Promoting Innovation and Resilience

MILAN, Feb. 17, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Aon plc (NYSE: AON), a leading global professional services firm, today announced that it will serve as the Premium Partner of Ferrari Hypersail, an unprecedented marine initiative dedicated to high-performance sailing.

In 2025, Aon became an Official Partner of the Scuderia Ferrari HP Formula One team through a multi-year agreement. By extending their relationship from the racetrack to the water, Aon aims to demonstrate how resilience and better decision-making can unlock new possibilities for clients and set new standards in competitive sport. This partnership will come to life through brand applications across the boat, crew uniforms and global event integrations.

“We’re excited to join Ferrari on this innovative journey into offshore sailing,” said Carlo Clavarino, executive chairman of international business for Aon. “Ocean racing is all about making smart, real-time decisions in the face of uncertainty. By combining our data‑driven insights with Ferrari’s engineering excellence, we’re charting new paths in engineering and risk management. It’s a fantastic opportunity to work together and drive real innovation.”

Developed to explore new frontiers of innovation, self-sufficiency and performance in ocean racing, this 30-meter monohull prototype combines advanced engineering with a design focused on stability, using three points of contact. The boat generates all of its own power while underway and is powered entirely by renewable energy. Its key innovation is the integration of a canting keel equipped with a foil which acts as a support point during flight, supported by a rudder and two lateral foils.

The initiative is led by Giovanni Soldini, a world-renowned sailing pioneer and Team Principal, whose long-standing collaboration with Aon brings deep expertise to this new venture. Currently under construction in Italy, the boat is set to launch in 2026, with sea trials commencing shortly afterward.

“We are very proud to stand alongside Ferrari in this innovative project. With Ferrari Hypersail, we are taking a step further: thanks to the strength of the Ferrari brand and the international dimension of the project, we are broadening our reach and bringing the story of innovation, sustainability and risk management to an even wider audience made up of all size companies, sports enthusiasts, innovators and new generations,” said Andrea Parisi, CEO of Italy and Eastern Mediterranean for Aon. “Partnering with Ferrari — on the racetrack and now on the water — provides Aon with a unique opportunity to engage our clients in new and meaningful ways, bringing them closer to innovation and the spirit of exploration.”

“Hypersail represents a new platform for Ferrari to develop meaningful partnerships that extend beyond visibility and are rooted in shared values and expertise,” said Lorenzo Giorgetti, Chief Racing Revenues Officer of Ferrari. “Aon is a natural partner for a project of this scale, taking an active role at the heart of the initiative and helping shape a living ecosystem where performance and risk management are essential elements.”

“Ferrari Hypersail is a project with an exceptionally high level of research and innovation, exploring completely unprecedented scenarios,” said Antonio Picca Piccon, CFO of Ferrari. “Having Aon onboard as a partner represents a significant added value, thanks to its strong expertise in risk management and its previous experience in ocean racing.”

About Aon
Aon plc (NYSE: AON) exists to shape decisions for the better — to protect and enrich the lives of people around the world. Through actionable analytic insight, globally integrated Risk Capital and Human Capital expertise, and locally relevant solutions, our colleagues provide clients in over 120 countries with the clarity and confidence to make better risk and people decisions that protect and grow their businesses.

Follow Aon on LinkedIn, X, Facebook and Instagram. Stay up-to-date by visiting Aon’s Newsroom and sign up for news alerts here.

Aon Media Contact
mediainquiries@aon.com
Toll-free (U.S., Canada and Puerto Rico): +1 833 751 8114
International: +1 312 381 3024

SOURCE Aon plc

On 18 February 2026, two months after the Employment Rights Act 2025 (the ERA) received Royal Assent, certain measures relating to trade unions and industrial action will take effect. In this blog post, we dive into the key changes. For a broader overview of the upcoming reforms, see our previous blog here. 

Key changes taking place on 18 February 2026

• Industrial action ballot support threshold: Currently, when a recognition ballot relating to certain key public services (such as health and education) is ordered by the Central Arbitration Committee (the CAC), that recognition must be supported by at least 40% of workers entitled to vote with a majority voting in favour. Section 69 of the ERA removes the 40% support threshold. This change, effective for ballots opening on or after 18 February 2026, means that only a simple majority of votes in support will be sufficient for unions to secure mandates for industrial action. The government published a revised version of the Code of Practice on industrial action ballots to reflect this. The Code sets out practical advice for unions and employers to promote good practice when conducting industrial action ballots.
• Notice of industrial action and ballot papers: Sections 70, 71 and 74 reduce the amount of information unions must include in notices of industrial action and voting papers. For example, from 18 February 2026, it will no longer be necessary to specify the number of affected workers in each category expected to take part in the industrial action in the notice to employers. These changes streamline procedural requirements for unions, reducing opportunities for employers to challenge the validity of industrial action on technical grounds.
• Mandate period for industrial action: Pursuant to Section 72, the mandate period for industrial action will increase from six to 12 months. This means that a ballot approving industrial action remains effective for longer, reducing the frequency with which unions need to re-ballot, putting unions under significantly less time pressure and making employer delay tactics less effective. The 12-month mandate will apply to ballots opened on or after 18 February 2026.
• Notice period given to employer of industrial action: Section 74 reduces the amount of notice to be given by unions to employers of industrial action from 14 days to 10 days. Consequently, employers will have less time to mitigate the impacts of strike action or to negotiate with unions in an attempt to avoid industrial action altogether. This accelerated timeline could be further squeezed if unions strategically issue notices ahead of weekends or public holidays.
• Picketing: Section 75 removes the requirement for unions to appoint a picketing supervisor to be responsible for overseeing union-approved picket lines during a strike. The government’s guidance on transitional provisions illustrates how that change will take effect in practice, alongside a revised Code of Practice on picketing, which sets out practical guidance and confirms that there should instead be a trade union official in charge of the picket line from 18 February 2026.
• Protection against dismissal for taking industrial action: Section 77 removes the 12-week cap on automatic protection from unfair dismissal for employees taking part in industrial action. From 18 February 2026, this enhanced protection will apply irrespective of the length of the industrial action, but only to industrial action begun on or after that date. As a result, employers must exercise caution when dismissing employees participating in industrial action to avoid claims for automatic unfair dismissal. 

Additional changes relating to trade union political funds, facility time, and check-off in the public sector also come into force on 18 February 2026. 

Implications for employers

These changes collectively aim to simplify the process for unions to organise industrial action and strengthen protections for employees participating in it. Employers should be prepared for a significant shift in the industrial relations landscape. 

In particular, unions will find it significantly easier to secure mandates for industrial action and will have longer windows to call for action, potentially leading to more frequent and sustained disputes. At the same time, the time during which employers are able to implement contingency plans, engage in negotiations to avert strikes, or prepare for operational impacts, will be significantly curtailed. Fewer technical avenues for employers to challenge the legitimacy of industrial action will make it more challenging to prevent or delay strikes through legal means. This will ultimately increase the likelihood of industrial disruption and places a greater onus on employers to proactively manage employee relations. 

Employers will want to review and update their internal policies and processes, including strike contingency plans, communication protocols, and disciplinary procedures, to ensure that they are compatible with the new legislation and updated Codes of Practice. The staggered nature of these reforms, with further significant changes due in April 2026, August 2026, October 2026, and into 2027, means employers should adopt an iterative approach to their preparations, continuously monitoring upcoming guidance and regulations. 

Building and maintaining strong, proactive relationships with unions and employee representatives will be more critical than ever. With fewer legal levers to prevent industrial action, fostering open communication and effective dialogue will help to prevent disputes from escalating and facilitate swift resolution when they do arise.

For further information on the ERA and its implications for employers, please see here. If you would like to discuss in further detail any of the points raised in this blog post, please get in touch with your usual Freshfields contact.

This bulletin contains a high-level summary of the FCA’s position, and a snapshot comparing the UK and EU regimes.

New UK regime for ESG ratings providers

The FCA’s consultation paper on ESG ratings providers (CP 25/34) has been a long time coming.

• On March 30, 2023, HM Treasury launched a consultation proposing to bring ESG ratings providers within the scope of FCA regulation—this received support from industry. Over two years later, in October 2025, the government published legislation to this end. In December 2025, the legislation was issued in final form.
• The Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Regulated Activities) (ESG Ratings) Order 2025 amends the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Regulated Activities) Order 2001 (RAO) to make the provision of ESG ratings a regulated activity for the purposes of UK law, subject to exceptions.
• The new regulated activity is set out in Article 63U of the RAO.
• The order comes into full force on June 29, 2028, but certain provisions apply before then to enable the new regulatory regime for ESG ratings providers to be put into place.

The FCA’s consultation paper was published for that purpose on December 1, 2025:

• It includes draft new rules for ESG ratings providers—these are to be introduced by inserting a new Chapter 6 into the FCA’s ESG Sourcebook. Chapter 6 is titled “Conduct rules for ESG ratings providers”.
• Draft guidance is to be added to the FCA’s Perimeter Guidance manual (PERG) on when activities are likely to amount to the new regulated activity of providing an ESG rating.
• As regards the “baseline” FCA rules that apply to most types of regulated firms, the consultation paper explains how the FCA proposes for these to apply to ESG ratings providers (e.g., PRIN, GEN, SUP, SYSC, TC, etc). The upshot is that much of the “baseline” regime will apply to ESG ratings providers, subject to specific exceptions—e.g., there is no need for an MLRO, a bespoke conflicts regime applies under the ESG sourcebook instead of the one in SYSC, the FCA’s consumer duty is disapplied, etc.

NB: On the subject of prudential requirements, interestingly, the following view has been taken: “We do not propose to introduce bespoke prudential requirements for rating providers. Our view is that existing requirements—Threshold Condition 2D (Appropriate resources), COND 2.4 and Principle 4 (a firm must maintain adequate financial resources)—provide a proportionate baseline.” Firms must therefore assess and maintain adequate financial resources and also have robust arrangements for an orderly wind-down. The FCA also makes clear the question of prudential requirements will remain under review

• Finally, the FCA uses the consultation paper to set out its approach to authorisation applications and to explain how it proposes to supervise ESG ratings providers going forward.

The FCA is to be commended for the overall approach taken to the consultation—it has engaged with industry extensively on the subject of ESG ratings providers, and signalled its desire to take an open, practical and collaborative approach. Since the consultation was issued, it has continued these efforts, with further extensive stakeholder engagement, which has been very well received.

Key points from the FCA’s draft rules

The new Chapter 6 to be inserted into the FCA’s ESG sourcebook for ESG ratings providers includes provisions on the following topics:

• Governance, systems and controls—including the methodology for formulating ESG ratings, and quality control, record keeping and outsourcing requirements, as well as the need to rely on up-to-date information when formulating ratings. One interesting point to note is that the FCA prohibits a firm from outsourcing “operational responsibility for the ESG ratings process”.
• Engagement—including the obligation to make certain notifications when the firm first decides to produce a particular ESG rating. Such a notification must include (among other things) the nature of the rating, the methodology, a summary of key data inputs, and an explanation of any rights to request data and how to notify the firm of errors. The FCA rules require information rights to be given to “notifiable persons”¹ (e.g., so they can obtain certain data). The rules also impose various obligations—e.g., the firm must establish a procedure for receiving and processing feedback from stakeholders, and comply with certain requirements when requesting data.
• Complaints handling—the new regime will enable complaints by a ratings user, a “notifiable person” and “any other person with an interest in the ESG rating”.
• Transparency—this includes rules and guidance on disclosures designed to enhance the transparency and comparability of ESG ratings. It includes: (1) minimum public facing disclosures (including on conflicts and complaints handling); (2) disclosures and notifications to ESG ratings users and other “notifiable persons”. Further requirements apply where the firm wishes to make a change to a methodology.

The requirements on transparency contain an exception where information would qualify as a trade secret—the rules then prescribe what disclosures must be made instead.

• Conflicts—there is a bespoke and fairly extensive regime in ESG 6 on conflicts. Among other things, this includes rules on information barriers, and a conflicts of interest report to be regularly provided to senior management. The FCA rules also require ESG ratings to be free from political or economic interference.

Recommendations for firms

• Firms that will fall within the scope of the new regime will presumably be getting up to speed on the draft new rules proposed by the FCA and considering how to approach implementation and an authorisation application process.
• Firms that are frequent users of ESG ratings, and entities or firms that are (or have products that are) the subject of ESG ratings, may wish to review the FCA’s consultation paper so as to provide a response.

They may also wish to get involved in the work being done by relevant industry bodies on the subject of ESG ratings generally.

Broader landscape

Three other points worth mentioning from the consultation paper:

• The FCA notes that the UK government has identified sustainable finance as a growth-driving sector of the UK economy in “The UK’s Modern Industrial Strategy”.²
• The FCA notes that total global spending on ESG data is estimated to reach around USD2.2 billion in 2025, with further growth expected beyond that.
• The FCA refers to the evolving international landscape and the fact that several jurisdictions (including the EU) are introducing regulatory frameworks for ESG ratings providers. “Our proposals are designed to be consistent with international standards, particularly the IOSCO recommendations, to support cross-border coherence and reduce the risk of regulatory fragmentation.”

It is not clear, however, how much comfort this last statement by the FCA will provide in practice. For international groups, or firms doing business globally, having to face slightly different regulatory requirements across a number of different jurisdictions is far from ideal.

EU position

Turning then to the EU position, this is working to a timeline slightly ahead of the UK.

• The EU has introduced Regulation (EU) 2024/3005 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 27 November 2024 on the transparency and integrity of Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) rating activities.
• This will begin to apply in the main from July 2, 2026. The UK regime, in the main, will begin to apply from June 29, 2028.
• ESMA has been working on regulatory technical standards (RTS) to support the new regime, and on October 15, 2025, published a final report on three draft RTS:

– One on authorisation and recognition—this deals with the information to be provided in applications to ESMA for authorisation and recognition.

– One on the separation of business (i.e., to address conflicts risks)—this deals with safeguards to be put in place to mitigate conflicts risks within firms that conduct more than just ESG ratings activities.

– One on disclosures to be made by ESG ratings providers to the public, users of ratings, rated entities, and (where relevant) the providers or issuers of rated items.

ESMA also confirmed as follows: “ESMA has submitted the draft technical standards to the European Commission for adoption by means of a Commission Delegated Regulation (for RTS). The technical standards will also be subject to non-objection by the European Parliament and Council.”

UK vs. EU position

In terms of a side-by-side comparison on scope, see the following.

Port Pirie, Australia, 17 February 2026 – International producer of critical and strategic metals Nyrstar, today announced the first shipment of Australian‑produced commercial-grade Antimony metal from its Port Pirie multi‑metals facility, marking a milestone in the nation’s efforts to build and strengthen mine-to-metal supply chains for critical minerals.

This inaugural shipment from the Demonstration Plant marks an important step in establishing an independent and sovereign supply of Antimony metal from Australia, a critical metal used in defence, semiconductors, energy and automotive industries globally. The first shipment will be used by an Australian domestic manufacturer on the east coast of Australia with future shipments destined for export to customers in Europe, Asia or the US, supporting a more diverse and resilient supply chain for strategic materials.

This new product has been enabled by rapid construction and commissioning of Nyrstar’s Antimony pilot and demonstration plants, allowing Australia to produce Antimony metal from a wide range of local and global concentrates, leveraging Port Pirie’s existing multi-metals processing infrastructure and capabilities.

The accelerated delivery of Nyrstar’s Antimony demonstration plant was supported by the Australian and South Australian Governments, ensuring the first batches of Antimony metal could be produced and shipped well ahead of schedule.

Darin Cooper, Nyrstar Port Pirie General Manager, said today’s milestone highlights the strategic role Port Pirie and Australia can play in helping global markets with an alternative, reliable and transparent supply of critical minerals.

“The first shipment of Antimony metal from Port Pirie demonstrates the importance of investing in nationally strategic smelters. Mining alone doesn’t create supply chain security – it’s the smelting, refining and conversion into critical metals that ensures Australia can play a strategic role for itself and its allies,” Mr Cooper said.

“Antimony metal is essential for modern societies, and global customers have been increasingly seeking secure supply from trusted sources. Nyrstar at Port Pirie is responding to the challenge, demonstrating that mine-to-metals capability in Australia is possible, and with the support of government can be delivered at speed and scale.” Mr Cooper said.

As Australia’s only lead refiner, Nyrstar’s Port Pirie multi-metals facility will have the potential capacity to produce up to 5,000 tonnes of Antimony metal per annum, representing approximately 15% of the global market and the equivalent of nearly 100% of US imports in 2023. Nyrstar will continue to work closely with Federal and State Governments and commercial partners to secure support for this potential expansion and modernisation of its Australian assets.

Nyrstar’s production of Antimony at Port Pirie was identified last year in the pipeline of critical minerals projects as part of the US–Australia Critical Minerals Framework, and Antimony is a priority mineral for the Australian Government’s Strategic Reserve. Antimony is recognised as a key metal at risk requiring urgent new supply pathways and Nyrstar is also in discussions with organisations across Japan, Europe and the United States on formal offtake partnerships for long‑term supply.

In addition to Antimony production, with government support Nyrstar is also exploring the potential to produce Bismuth and Tellurium at Port Pirie, as well as Germanium at its Hobart Zinc Works.