THE BOURSE WHISPERER: MTM Critical Metals (ASX: MTM) is making advancements in the recovery of gallium from semiconductor and LED scrap via Flash Joule Heating (FJH) technology.

MTM Critical Metals had testing carried out by researchers at Rice University in the USA, resulting in a lab-scale breakthrough in resolving the critical supply chain challenges surrounding gallium — a metal that is indispensable to high-tech and defence industries.

China controls around 98 per cent of the world’s gallium supply and recently imposed export restrictions adding to supply disruptions due to escalating geopolitical tensions.

These issues have combined to cause prices to soar dramatically.

MTM considers its successful demonstration of recovery of this metal is a strategic development that offers a potential solution to the escalating supply crisis affecting the USA and its allies.

High-purity gallium was recovered by Rice University from industrial semiconductor scrap using the FJH-chlorination process.

The results have provided the impetus for MTM to proceed with prototype testing in a FJH reactor in Houston, Texas, moving closer to commercial-scale operations.

“The breakthrough in gallium recovery from e-scrap using Flash Joule Heating technology marks a pivotal advancement, with similar potential for germanium,” MTM Critical Metals CEO Michael Walshe said in the company’s ASX announcement.

“Amid limited Western gallium supply options, escalating geopolitical tensions, and recent price surges, our ability to extract this strategic metal from waste streams offers both significant commercial promise and a strategic solution for the U.S. and its allies.

“We eagerly anticipate the upcoming bench-scale tests and are optimistic about our potential to transform the gallium supply chain.”

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