Indium Corporation and Rio Tinto announced the successful extraction of gallium from feed sourced at Rio Tinto’s Vaudreuil alumina refinery in Saguenay, Quebec, Canada. The process was developed at Indium Corporation’s research and development facility in Rome, NY. Gallium, a critical mineral used in semiconductors, integrated circuits, high-performance radar, smartphones, electric vehicles, and laptops, is produced in limited quantities globally.
The partnership aims to establish a North American gallium supply to meet growing demand for advanced technologies. Indium Corporation plans to further develop the extraction process to support a 3.5-ton demonstration plant in Saguenay, with potential expansion to a 40-ton annual capacity, representing five to 10 percent of global gallium supply.
Ross Berntson, President and CEO of Indium Corporation, stated that the milestone demonstrates the viability of gallium extraction and supports future commercial production. Jérôme Pécresse, Chief Executive of Rio Tinto Aluminium, noted that the project strengthens the North American supply chain for gallium through their collaborative efforts.
Indium Corporation will also feature its lineup of high-reliability products for semiconductor packaging and assembly at the Electronics Component and Technology Conference (ECTC), taking place May 27-30 in Dallas, Texas.
