RTX has entered a memorandum of understanding with Tawazun Council and Emirates Global Aluminium (EGA) to explore the production of gallium at EGA’s facility in Abu Dhabi, UAE. This development, announced during a recent trip to the Gulf region by former US President Donald Trump, aims to establish extraction and refining capabilities for gallium at EGA’s alumina refinery. The initiative is projected to position the UAE as the world’s second-largest gallium producer after China.
EGA’s CEO, Abdulnasser Bin Kalban, emphasized the importance of gallium, stating that it is essential for advanced electronics systems yet remains commercially challenging to produce. He highlighted that this agreement not only facilitates the creation of a new source of gallium in the UAE but also aligns with the nation’s industrial growth strategy, known as Operation 300bn, providing an additional revenue stream for EGA.
As a critical mineral, gallium has diverse applications, notably in sectors such as defense. For RTX, gallium nitride is integral to advanced radar systems, including the Lower Tier Air and Missile Defense Sensor (LTAMDS) and the GEM-T missiles used in the Patriot air defense system. Following the memorandum, RTX and EGA could launch a feasibility study for a high-purity gallium plant at EGA’s Al Taweelah alumina refinery, which processes bauxite ore into alumina, where gallium is found in very small quantities.
The aerospace and defense industry, according to Paolo Dal Cin, senior vice president for operations and supply chain at RTX, requires stable access to rare earth elements. The agreement is seen as a vital step toward ensuring a reliable supply of gallium, which is crucial for producing critical aerospace and defense technologies.
This partnership comes in the context of China’s recent decision to ban the export of several critical minerals, including gallium, germanium, and antimony, to the US. This ban was a retaliatory measure against US sanctions on semiconductor technology, aiming to hinder China’s advancements in military applications and artificial intelligence. Given that China currently produces and exports around 90 percent of the world’s gallium, the establishment of an alternative supply source in the UAE is likely to alleviate concerns about future availability, particularly for the US and its allies. The unique properties of gallium are essential for creating specialized semiconductors that underpin advanced weapon systems, making this agreement a significant strategic move for both RTX and the UAE.
