Australian mining company MTM Critical Metals is planning to open a new gallium recycling facility in the United States, with operations expected to commence next year. The plant will utilize MTM’s proprietary Flash Joule Heating (FJH) technology to process one ton of gallium per day, sourced from electronic waste such as semiconductors and LEDs.
Innovative Process and Market Implications
Developed and tested at Rice University in Texas, the FJH technology has demonstrated high efficiency in recovering gallium from LED manufacturing waste. The process involves rapidly heating the waste material in a controlled chlorine atmosphere, converting gallium nitride (GaN) into a more volatile form, which allows for the extraction of high-purity gallium.
The global gallium market is currently experiencing supply constraints due to China’s export restrictions, which impact over 95% of global production and have contributed to rising prices. Demand for gallium is increasing across various industries, including semiconductors, LEDs, solar panels, and advanced defense systems.
MTM is advancing prototype testing in Houston and exploring potential partnerships for financing and offtake agreements. The company is also investigating the use of its technology to recover germanium—another metal affected by China’s export restrictions. MTM’s broader research includes evaluating the technology’s effectiveness for a range of metals and rare earth elements.
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.