Australia is set to supply around 10 per cent of the world’s gallium after Alcoa and the Australian, US and Japanese Governments locked in a final investment decision (FID) on a plant at the Wagerup alumina refinery near Perth in Western Australia.
“[The FID] is a significant step forward in building a secure, diversified and resilient gallium supply chain,” Minerals Council of Australia (MCA) chief executive officer (CEO) Tania Constable said.
“The project, also supported by the Western Australian Government, will add value in Australia, forge new cross-border alliances and strengthen existing partnerships, showing that Australia can remain competitive in critical minerals on the global stage through government and industry alignment.”
Gallium is a soft, silvery metal used in semiconductors, radar systems, high-performance electronics, radiotherapy and LEDs. China produces around 98 per cent of the world’s supply.
The gallium will come out of Wagerup’s existing alumina refining process, so no new mining or site infrastructure is needed. The build is expected to create up to 200 construction jobs, with around 20 full-time roles once the plant is running.
The project was one of the first picked under the US-Australia critical minerals framework signed by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and US President Donald Trump, and was hailed as “game changing” by the Prime Minister when he visited the site in November. It is the second project to reach FID with framework backing, after Arafura’s Nolans rare earths project in May, and was one of six projects singled out under the Australia-Japan critical minerals statement.
“Australia’s rich geology, strong mining and processing capabilities and reputation for reliability and transparency make us a trusted global supplier for critical minerals including gallium.”