Gallium

What gallium is

Gallium is a low-melting metal recovered as a byproduct from industrial process streams. This factbook follows it from documented recovery circuits through refined metal, precursor chemicals, bulk compound crystals and semiconductor substrates.

Element tracked: Gallium (Ga)

Why it is critical

China accounted for 99% of world primary low-purity gallium production in 2025 (an estimated 900,000 kg world total, with Japan and Russia the only other producers at about 3,000 and 6,000 kg), and the United States has recovered no primary gallium since 1987, standing at 100% net import reliance (USGS MCS 2026, Gallium chapter, pp. 82-83). Byproduct recovery at allied alumina refineries is the binding upstream constraint.

Commercial product forms

Supply-chain stages

Refined gallium feeds two parallel branches: precursor-chemical synthesis and crystal or substrate fabrication. Neither branch is downstream of the other.

U.S. and global production

USGS MCS 2026 reports primary low-purity gallium production, not high-purity refined output. The United States recorded zero primary production and 100% net import reliance in every year shown in the salient-statistics table. The PDF text-layer artifact '4839,000' is the footnote marker 4 followed by 839,000; this record stores 839,000 kilograms.

Source: USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026, printed p. 82. The table is not a high-purity refining series.

Known deposits and prospectivity

USGS USMIN records 4 gallium sites meeting its national release threshold. The Earth MRI table separately identifies 241 gallium focus areas where USGS is prioritizing mapping or geophysics. Focus areas are prospectivity, not deposits or discoveries.

Deposits and Earth MRI coverage details

Recovery and recycling facilities

Refining, chemical and substrate facilities

High-purity refining

Precursor chemicals

Crystals and substrates

Published project capacity

Pilots do not sum into commercial capacity. The table shows only a source-stated line claim and labels its basis.

Federal and allied programs

Open opportunities

No gallium opportunity is currently open in the monitored systems. Selected projects remain in the full ledger and are not treated as awards.

Full opportunity ledger

Awards, loans and other instruments

Trade and policy timeline

1. Aug 1, 2023 · China gallium and germanium export licensing regime · In force
2. Dec 3, 2024 · China US-directed dual-use gallium and germanium measure · In force, suspended through 2026-11-27
3. Nov 9, 2025 · Temporary suspension of provision 2 of China Announcement No. 46 · Suspension in force through 2026-11-27
4. Feb 27, 2026 · USTDA Monte Muambe support excludes the gallium workstream

Briefings on this chain

No gallium briefing has been published yet. The linked records are the launch evidence surface.

Recent changes

1. Aug 18, 2026 · Freiberger Compound Materials Freiberg wafer plant · operating
2. Aug 18, 2026 · Kyma Technologies Raleigh gallium-nitride substrate operation · operating
3. Jul 15, 2026 · Alcoa Wagerup gallium project · announced
4. Jul 15, 2026 · JOGMEC participation in the Wagerup gallium project · definitive-agreement
5. Jul 7, 2026 · Teck Trail Operations strategic-metals lines · operating
6. Jul 7, 2026 · Teck Trail Operations strategic-metals lines · announced
7. Jul 7, 2026 · Strategic Investment Agreement for Teck Trail · definitive-agreement
8. Jul 1, 2026 · Coal-byproduct critical-minerals pilot selections · state-transition
9. Apr 14, 2026 · Atlantic Alumina Gramercy gallium pilot · announced
10. Apr 14, 2026 · Found Energy Charleston gallium pilot · announced
11. Apr 14, 2026 · Indium Corporation Clinton gallium recycling pilot · announced
12. Apr 14, 2026 · Kunin Technologies Chattanooga gallium pilot · announced

Sources and update history

This hub covers 18 facilities. Its chain-record freshness floor is Aug 15, 2026. Production, facility and policy records carry their own source dates and evidence locators. See methodology for coverage and archive rules.