Global Trade
September 1, 2026
Defense Department to invest $174 million in Alcoa's gallium plant in Australia
Written by Stephanie Ritenbaugh
The US Department of Defense is providing about $174 million in equity financing for Alcoa’s gallium production facility in Australia.
The gallium plant is part of Alcoa’s Wagerup alumina refinery. It’s expected to produce 100 metric tons of gallium metal annually.
The funding is in partnership with Export Finance Australia, the government of Japan and Sojitz Corp.
Currently, gallium production is concentrated in China, which introduced market controls in 2023.
Alcoa broke ground on the gallium plant Aug. 24.
Gallium is naturally present in bauxite, the raw material used in the production of alumina. Gallium is a critical mineral used in technology, particularly in the semiconductor and defense sectors, and is recognized as vital to national security by the US, Australia and Japan.
