Japan Australia Gallium Associates (JAGA), a joint venture between Sojitz and Japan Organization for Metals and Energy Security (JOGMEC), partnered with Alcoa to explore the feasibility of gallium production at one of Alcoa’s operating alumina refineries in Western Australia.

While specific details about the project remain undisclosed, its announcement aligns with growing global interest in developing gallium production outside China. Companies such as Eurasian Resources Group (ERG) in Kazakhstan, Rio Tinto in Canada, and METLEN Energy in Greece have recently announced capacity expansions and feasibility studies targeting gallium output.

Australia once produced gallium at the Pinjarra refinery, the capacity of which was expanded to 50tpyGa in the 1980s. However, the facility eventually shut down due to falling gallium prices in an oversupplied market, regulatory hurdles that blocked plans for an integrated rare earths processing facility, and rising competition from China.

In an effort to ensure stability, Australia announced a US$1.2Bn strategic stockpile initiative for critical minerals to address market volatility and supply chain uncertainty. Despite this, Western gallium projects have yet to come online, and China continues to dominate global gallium metal production. As Chinese export restrictions on gallium products (first enacted in July 2023) loom overhead, securing non-Chinese sources has become increasingly vital for maintaining stable supply chains beyond its borders. Although countries such as Japan held strategic reserves of critical minerals when the export restrictions were announced, long-term supply security remains uncertain.

Gallium’s role in military technologies further motivates governments to diversify procurement and reduce reliance on Chinese supply. To withstand market volatility and compete with China’s cost-efficient producers, suppliers outside China must establish durable, long-term agreements.