A critical component of integrated circuits, better known as microchips, gallium is a rare and difficult to acquire rare earth metal (REM), yet remains foundational to the global economy. Forming the core of virtually all modern electronics and renewable energy technologies, a stable supply of gallium has proved critical to powering modern economies. Despite this, none is currently produced in North America, with global supply overwhelmingly concentrated in China.

Encouragingly, Rio Tinto, a British-Australian mining and metals conglomerate, recently announced a breakthrough at their plant in Vaudreuil Alumina, Quebec, successfully extracting primary gallium. Primary gallium is found in only trace amounts inside bauxite ore, a naturally occurring rock primarily leveraged for its aluminum content, and can only be gathered in minute quantities. For every 200,000 tons of bauxite ore-processed aluminum, only a single ton of gallium is  extracted, making it a rare but critical resource. 

Rio Tinto’s experimental gallium process proved able to refine bauxite into aluminum while processing primary gallium (extracted rather than recycled from secondary source). It is a marked opportunity, particularly as Canada looks to grow its presence on the global stage, rebuff geopolitical tensions, and strengthen international trade and relations.

The next step will be to assess extraction techniques at pilot scale, with Rio Tinto planning a demonstration plant in Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean if successful. While the initial plant would produce up to 3.5 tonnes annually, it has the potential to be converted into a commercial-scale facility — able to produce 40 tonnes annually, representing approximately 5-10% of the global gallium production. 

Financially backed by the Quebec government, Rio Tinto’s Vaudreuil Alumina represents a sharp break from the past, which was characterized by the west’s laissez-faire attitude towards strategic mineral development. Canada has historically ignored gallium extraction, focusing solely on optimizing recycled gallium, whereas the United States is fully reliant on foreign imports. 

As a result of this nearsighted approach, China accounts for 98% of the global supply of primary gallium — dominating yet another critical cleantech mineral. This creates vulnerabilities for Western economies, with China’s ability to withhold or restrict exports serving as a powerful geopolitical lever. Just last year, Beijing imposed strict export limits on gallium in retaliation for American tariffs, resulting in a steep domestic shortage and immediate inflation. 

Substitution is not a realistic option, with alternatives to gallium so inferior they’re often considered non-viable. In the U.S., policymakers are now betting on deregulation to rapidly expand mining on environmentally sensitive lands, a strategy that may deliver short-term output but invites lawsuits, community pushback, and policy reversals. Canada, meanwhile, has the chance to take a more strategic route. By combining targeted government investment with responsibly managed private-sector innovation, Canada can establish a secure, future-proof gallium supply chain, anchoring clean technologies in a stable, democratic marketplace.

Rio Tinto’s Vaudreuil Alumina plant holds great promise for Canada and the future of cleantech supply chains. With sustained and expanded government support, projects like this can position Canada as a critical node in the global cleantech transition, powering advanced technologies while reducing Western dependence on China.