Australian mining firm MTM Critical Metals is set to establish a new gallium recycling plant in the United States, with operations slated to begin next year. The plant will process 1 ton per day of gallium, extracted from electronic waste such as semiconductors and LEDs, using their proprietary Flash Joule Heating (FJH) technology.
Innovative Process and Market Impact
The FJH technology, tested at Rice University in Texas, has proven effective in recovering gallium from LED manufacturing waste. This process involves rapidly heating the waste in a controlled chlorine atmosphere, which enables the extraction of gallium in high purity by converting gallium nitride (GaN) into a more volatile form.
The global gallium market faces supply challenges due to China's export restrictions, which affect over 95% of global production and have led to rising prices. Gallium is increasingly in demand for applications including semiconductors, LEDs, solar panels, and advanced defense systems.
MTM is advancing prototype testing in Houston and is exploring partnerships for financing and offtake agreements. The technology could also be used to recover germanium, another metal with restricted exports from China. MTM's broader research includes testing on various metals and rare earth elements.
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