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Defdex

Supply-chain input · Material

Gallium

Metal recovered mainly as a by-product of alumina refining; used in GaN and GaAs semiconductors.

CriticalMaterial
Producers
4
0 consumers tracked
Upstream
1
1 downstream
Needed by
0
0 technologies · 0 products
Trade controls
2
1 issuers
Sources
9
Cited on this page

Constraint

Why supply is constrained

Critical

China produced 99% of primary low-purity gallium in 2024 and 2025 (USGS); the US has recovered no primary gallium since 1987. China licensed exports from August 2023 and banned exports to the US in December 2024, a ban it suspended in November 2025 until 27 November 2026. Non-Chinese projects (Alcoa Wagerup, Rio Tinto Quebec, Metlen Greece, ElementUSA Louisiana) are mostly pre-production.

Producers4

Capacity and global share as reported; shares from different years and sources may not add up. Bars compare producers on this page only.

Dependencies

Upstream · needs · 1

This input

Gallium

Critical

Downstream · needed by · 1

Upstream: what this input is made from or processed with. Downstream: what is made from it.

Facilities2

Trade controls2

News2

Sources9

Profile1

  1. 1
    Government recordMineral Commodity Summaries 2026: Gallium

    U.S. Geological Survey · Supports Input

    “In November 2025, China lifted its ban on gallium exports to the United States for 1 year.”

Supply chain4

  1. 2
    CompanyAlcoa reaches final investment decision on gallium production plant at Wagerup

    Alcoa (Business Wire) · Jul 14, 2026 · Supports Input · input dependency:bauxite-alumina, Organization input

    “reached final investment decision for a gallium production plant to be co‑located at Alcoa's Wagerup alumina refinery in Western Australia.”
  2. 3
    CompanyRio Tinto advances gallium metal R&D project in partnership with the Government of Canada

    Rio Tinto · Mar 2, 2026 · Supports Organization input

    “Plans are underway to build a demonstration plant with a capacity of up to 4 tonnes of gallium per year on the same site.”
  3. 4
    CompanyMetlen briefs LME executives on metals operations and gallium investment during visit to Aluminium of Greece

    Metlen · Dec 4, 2025 · Supports Organization input

    “the production of 50 MT of gallium per annum. The total strategic investment of €295.5 million”
  4. 5
    Government recordDepartment of War Awards $29.9 Million to Create a U.S. Domestic Supply of Gallium

    U.S. Department of War · Nov 20, 2025 · Supports Organization input

    “a demonstration facility in Gramercy, Louisiana to separate and purify gallium and scandium from existing industrial waste.”

Trade controls4

  1. 6
    Government record商务部公告2025年第72号

    Ministry of Commerce of the People's Republic of China · Nov 9, 2025 · Supports Trade control

    “经批准，自即日起至2026年11月27日，商务部公告2024年第46号…第二款暂停实施。”
  2. 7
    Government record商务部公告2024年第46号 关于加强相关两用物项对美国出口管制的公告

    Ministry of Commerce of the People's Republic of China · Dec 3, 2024 · Supports Trade control

    “二、原则上不予许可镓、锗、锑、超硬材料相关两用物项对美国出口；对石墨两用物项对美国出口，实施更严格的最终用户和最终用途审查。”
  3. 8
    Government record商务部 海关总署公告2023年第23号 关于对镓、锗相关物项实施出口管制的公告

    Ministry of Commerce of the People's Republic of China · Jul 3, 2023 · Supports Trade control

    “八、本公告自2023年8月1日起正式实施。”
  4. 9
    Government recordMineral Commodity Summaries 2025: Gallium

    U.S. Geological Survey · Supports Input, Trade control

    “China accounted for 99% of worldwide primary low-purity gallium production.”

Each fact on this page is attached to the sources that support it. Archived copies are linked when we keep one.