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| Energywerx |
US gallium production gets a targeted boost under DOE’s new TRACE-Ga program. The initiative funds pilot plants that deliver 1 t/yr of 99.99% gallium. As a result, US gallium production could finally reduce import risk and price shocks.
What TRACE-Ga funds and requires
The program backs recovery from Bayer liquor and zinc residues at industrial scale. Awardees must pass a 14-day trial and produce 50 kg at 4N purity. Energywerx will manage the process and validate performance data. Meanwhile, submissions close on 20 November, with selections in late 2025. Therefore, early movers can lock in engineering momentum and offtake interest.
Why US gallium production matters now
China controls nearly all primary gallium output and restricted US exports. That constraint exposed defense, power electronics, LED, and solar supply chains. The USGS now tags gallium risk as high on its draft 2025 list. Consequently, US gallium production from residues can harden domestic MRO and chip back-ends. The goal is reliable GaN and GaAs inputs at competitive cost.
Developers should prioritize impurity control, reagent recycling, and modular plant design. In addition, multi-feed flexibility can expand sourcing from alumina and zinc circuits. If pilots scale, capital could flow into bankable commercial units by 2026. That path would anchor US gallium production near downstream device manufacturing.
The Metalnomist Commentary
TRACE-Ga is pragmatic policy aimed at mid-TRL bottlenecks, not labs. Watch purity, operating cost per kilogram, and secured offtake; those metrics will decide who scales.
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