The United States is allocating $93 million through the Department of Defense to fund a gallium production facility for Alcoa Corporation at its Wagerup refinery in Western Australia. This project is part of a trilateral partnership with Australia and Japan aimed at undermining China’s near-total dominance over this mineral critical to semiconductors and defense systems. Australia is contributing up to $200 million and securing offtake rights to a portion of the output. Once operational, the facility is expected to produce approximately 100 metric tons of gallium per year, representing up to 10% of global supply. China currently controls between 98% and 99% of the world’s refined gallium production.
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