"The DoD on Thursday announced it had awarded Texas-based ElementUSA $29.9 million to go toward developing a demonstration facility in Louisiana to separate and purify gallium and scandium from industrial waste created by alumina production. Gallium and scandium are used in defense applications including missile defense platforms, sensors, fighter aircraft, and hypersonic weapons, according to ElementUSA. Gallium, itself not considered a rare earth element but still a critical mineral, is commonly found in integrated circuits, semiconductors, and transistors."
"Scandium, a designated rare earth metal, is most often used to make aluminum alloys that are stronger and lighter weight than pure aluminum, and as a research chemical. As is the case with most rare earth metals and critical minerals, China is the leading producer of both gallium and scandium, and has moved to restrict exports both prior to and in response to the Trump administration's tariff war."
The Department of Defense awarded ElementUSA $29.9 million to develop a demonstration facility in Louisiana to separate and purify gallium and scandium from alumina production waste. Gallium and scandium serve critical defense roles in missile defense platforms, sensors, fighter aircraft, hypersonic weapons, semiconductors, and high-strength aluminum alloys. China remains the primary global producer and has restricted exports, creating supply vulnerabilities. North American refining of scandium and gallium is limited and insufficient for defense needs. The DoD has pursued scandium purchases from Rio Tinto. ElementUSA is in research, development, and scaling phases and provided no production timeline.
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