Alcoa breaks ground at new gallium plant in Australia
Alcoa Corporation has broken ground at its gallium production plant, in Western Australia, with prominent government officials such as Australian Minister for Industry and Innovation Tim Ayres, Western Australian Minister for State Development David Michael and Australian Minister for Resources Madeleine King having attended the ceremony.
The groundbreaking ceremony marks the start of construction at the new facility co-located at Alcoa’s Wagerup alumina refinery.
The gallium project, which Alcoa will construct and operate, brings together government and industry partners from Australia, Japan and the US, demonstrating the global effort to strengthen critical mineral supply chains.
“Today’s groundbreaking is a significant milestone for the joint venture as it assists the world in advancing a new, reliable source of gallium, and recognises the role of Alcoa’s Western Australia operations in delivering critical materials essential to the global economy,” says Alcoa Australia president Elsabe Muller.
The plant will produce up to 100 t/y of gallium, which is extracted as a byproduct of alumina processing. This is enough to supply about 10% of global gallium demand for critical semiconductor and defence technologies.