Gallium goes North American—Indium Corporation and Rio Tinto crack the code on local extraction, powering next-gen tech with a breakthrough at Quebec’s Vaudreuil refinery.
Indium Corporation and Rio Tinto have announced a major breakthrough in their joint efforts to extract gallium from material at Rio Tinto’s Vaudreuil alumina refinery in Quebec, Canada. This marks a significant step toward establishing a stable North American supply of this critical mineral.
Gallium is vital to the production of semiconductors, integrated circuits, radar systems, smartphones, electric vehicles, and laptops. As its global supply remains limited, the companies noted that this collaboration aims to improve accessibility by developing a more reliable and sustainable source.
The partnership plans to expand with a 3.5-ton demonstration plant in Saguenay, scaling up to a 40-ton annual capacity. This could represent up to 10% of global gallium supply, supporting the demand for clean and high-tech products.
The extraction process was developed by Indium Corporation’s R&D team in Rome, New York. The successful trial confirms the potential for larger-scale production.
“This milestone is a major step forward in our joint efforts to create a new and robust supply of gallium,” said Ross Berntson, President and CEO of Indium Corporation. “Through this collaboration, we have demonstrated the viability of gallium extraction and laid the groundwork for commercial production to benefit industries worldwide.”
Jérôme Pécresse, Chief Executive of Rio Tinto Aluminium, added, “We are very proud to announce this significant milestone in our important research and development project… Together… we strive to strengthen the North American supply chain for gallium.”
