Rio Tinto, in partnership with Indium, has extracted the first primary gallium from bauxite processed at its Vaudreuil alumina refinery in Quebec, Canada.
This milestone is part of a research and development (R&D) project targeting commercial-scale production of the critical mineral from bauxite.
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The initial extraction was conducted at Indium’s R&D facility in Rome, New York, US.
The project is now moving into its next phase, focusing on refining extraction techniques to produce gallium at a pilot scale.
If successful, Rio Tinto plans to construct a demonstration plant with an annual capacity of up to 3.5 tonnes (t) of gallium in Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean, Canada, supported by the Quebec Government.
The company plans to scale up operations to a commercial plant capable of producing 40 tonnes per annum (tpa), which would account for 5–10% of current global gallium production.
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By GlobalDataRio Tinto Aluminium chief executive Jérôme Pécresse said: ‘‘We are very proud to announce this significant milestone in our important research and development project to extract gallium from our aluminium operations in Quebec.
“Together, through this innovative partnership, Rio Tinto and Indium Corporation strive to strengthen the North American supply chain for gallium, a critical and strategic mineral.’’
Gallium has applications in various high-tech sectors including the production of integrated circuits essential for radar systems, smartphones, electric vehicles (EVs) and laptops.
Indium CEO Ross Berntson said: “This achievement is a major milestone, reflecting our dedication to global industrial needs by ensuring a sustainable supply of gallium. Our joint efforts are positioning North America as a leader in critical material production.”
Currently, the global production of gallium is estimated at 600tpa, with no contribution from North America.
Rio Tinto’s initiative could bolster the North American supply. The company already produces a range of critical minerals in North America, such as scandium, tellurium, lithium and molybdenum, which are used in products from aluminium alloys to EV batteries and steel.
The company is also exploring other R& opportunities to extract new materials from its existing operations, aiming to strengthen the supply chain for these essential components in various industries.
