RareX revolutionising Australian gallium

RareX (ASX: REE) has entered a strategic agreement with materials science innovator Gega Elements to develop Australia’s first integrated gallium supply chain.

The collaboration will support the development of vertically integrated gallium extraction and refining capability in Australia by advancing proprietary gallium refining technologies.

The agreement, which spans over three years, will see Gega test and continue to refine its technology on RareX samples.

With the global supply of gallium heavily concentrated in China, this move aligns with the recent shift in focus to domestic production and developing national critical minerals resilience.

Under the agreement, the companies will collaborate to refine RareX’s gallium-bearing samples from its Cummins Range and Khaleesi projects in northern WA using Gega’s advanced refining methods.

This will allow the evaluation and ultimately the commercialisation of a fully integrates gallium supply chain.

“This partnership with Gega Elements begins to position RareX as one of a select few large-scale potential gallium developments outside China,” RareX managing director James Durrant says.

“Gallium is critical for semiconductors, 5G and defence — yet almost entirely controlled by a single jurisdiction.

“Through this collaboration, we’re working to change that, leveraging RareX’s resource scale and Gega’s science-driven approach to build a truly sovereign supply solution.”

Subject to successful demonstration, the agreement assures that companies will enter into negotiations regarding the key principles of a binding agreement including exclusivity, joint development and commercial rights.

RareX will also have the option to negotiate exclusive rights to any gallium refining intellectual property developed using ore data from its Cummins Range and Khaleesi sites for application at its projects.

RareX continues to establish itself as a significant rare earths specialist by growing its portfolio of carbonite related projects including its recent partnership with True Fella at the Piper project in the Northern Territory.