US$150B Drone Boom Fuels Critical Minerals Race | Michael Rowley

Michael Rowley, President and CEO of Stillwater Critical Minerals, joins Kitco Mining’s Paul Harris to discuss how US$150 billion in pledged drone and counter-drone spending is sharpening the race for critical minerals, domestic supply chains and U.S.-based mining projects. Rowley says geopolitics are changing the market for metals used in drones, robotics, defense systems and advanced manufacturing. “Price is not the only factor anymore,” he said, pointing to rising U.S. government support through funding, permitting help and Defense Production Act tools. Stillwater West sits in Montana’s producing Stillwater district and hosts 10 U.S.-listed critical commodities, including nickel, copper, cobalt, platinum, palladium, rhodium and chromium. Rowley also outlines Stillwater West’s updated resource, which now totals 805 million tonnes grading 0.34% total nickel equivalent and includes the project’s first indicated resource. He says scale is the key takeaway, but the company is shifting toward infill drilling, higher-confidence resources and a PEA within 12 to 18 months. Rowley also discusses chromium upside, rhodium’s value, Sibanye’s nearby infrastructure, Glencore’s role, hydrometallurgy and upcoming drill results. Recorded September 2, 2026. Don’t forget to subscribe to the Kitco Mining & Kitco News YouTube channels to stay up to date on the latest industry news and interviews. 00:32 - Drones Driving Critical Minerals Demand 01:46 - Supply Chains and Geopolitics 05:57 - U.S. Government Learning Curve 08:05 - Funding, Permitting and Project Support 09:50 - Stillwater West Resource Update 12:02 - Polymetallic Nickel Equivalent Resource 13:41 - Chromium Upside at Stillwater 15:03 - Rhodium Uses and Value 16:05 - Path to PEA and Processing 18:04 - District Synergies With Sibanye 20:46 - Next 12 Months for Stillwater __________________________________________________________________ Kitco Mining is dedicated to reporting on the mining industry. Our mandate is to be the top resource for all mining information and news, offering a clear perspective on where the industry is going through breaking news coverage, mining trends, and in-depth reporting, presented with precious, rare earth, base metals, and industry stock prices. Get important precious and base metal updates while on the go with the Kitco Gold LIVE! app - https://applications.kitco.com Stay connected with us X - https://x.com/KitcoMining Instagram - Instagram: kitcomining LinkedIn - LinkedIn: kitco-mining Facebook - Facebook: KitcoMining Connect with the Kitco Mining anchors Paul Harris - https://x.com/paulharrisgold For more in-depth mining coverage, visit us here - https://www.kitco.com/mining Disclaimer: Videos are not trading advice, and the views expressed may not reflect those of Kitco Metals Inc.