News & Insights

COMPLETION OF U.S. DEPARTMENT OF WAR PROGRAM TO ADVANCE DOMESTIC GALLIUM SUPPLY

April 7, 2026

Today, Metallium Limited (“Metallium” or the “Company”) (ASX: MTM; OTCQX: MTMCF; OTCQX ADR: MTLMY) is pleased to announce that Flash Metals Texas Inc., the U.S.-based affiliate of Metallium Ltd, has successfully completed Phase I of its Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) contract with the U.S. Department of War (DoW) through the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA).

The program, titled “Domestic Recovery of Gallium from Waste through Flash Electrothermal Chlorination”, applied Metallium and Flash Metals Texas’ proprietary FJH metal recovery technology to recover gallium from gallium-rich waste streams including semiconductor manufacturing electronic waste. These feedstocks also contain germanium and other valuable strategic metals, expanding the potential impact of the technology across multiple critical material supply chains.

Flash Metals Texas achieved or exceeded all technical milestones under the contract and delivered the required workstreams within six months, significantly faster than the typical twelve-month SBIR Phase I program duration.

Completion of the program represents the Metallium family’s first completed U.S. federal government contract, demonstrating its capability to execute successfully within the U.S. DoW innovation ecosystem and positioning it for further engagement across defence-related programs.

Metallium and Flash Metals Texas’ President of U.S. Operations Steve Ragiel commented:

“Successfully completing our first U.S. DoW program is an important milestone for us. More than the contract value itself, the program validates the capability of our Flash Joule Heating technology to address a key national security challenge for the United States.

“Gallium is a critical material used in advanced semiconductors, radar systems, satellite electronics and next-generation defense technologies. Demonstrating a pathway to recover gallium domestically from waste streams aligns directly with U.S. strategic objectives to build resilient supply chains for defense-critical minerals.

Completing the program in half the typical timeframe also highlights the maturity of our technology platform and the strength of our team. We look forward to pursuing further opportunities with the DoW and other U.S. federal agencies as we move toward commercial deployment.”

Program Execution

The SBIR Phase I program progressed across several technical workstreams designed to demonstrate the feasibility of recovering gallium using Metallium and Flash Metals Texas’ FJH process, including:

•             Thermodynamic modelling and process design

•             Flash Joule Heating chlorination trials and optimization

•             Materials characterization and yield analysis

•             Recovery of high-purity gallium and germanium at scale

•             Preliminary techno-economic and environmental assessment

Successful completion of these workstreams further advances the proprietary Flash Joule Heating electrothermal chlorination platform, which rapidly liberates metals from complex feedstocks through ultra-fast electrical heating and chloride-based chemistry.

Images of germanium oxide (left) and gallium oxide (right) extracted by FJH from electronic waste.

Strategic Importance

Gallium is designated by the United States government as a critical mineral essential for defense systems, semiconductors and advanced communications technologies. Gallium compounds such as gallium nitride (GaN) and gallium arsenide (GaAs) are widely used in:

•             High-frequency radar systems

•             Satellite and aerospace electronics

•             Missile guidance systems and defence sensors

•             Advanced semiconductors and power electronics

•             5G communications infrastructure

Global gallium supply is extremely concentrated geographically. According to the United States Geological Survey (USGS), China accounts for approximately 100% of global primary gallium production, while the United States is essentially 100% dependent on imports to meet its gallium demand (USGS, 2025).

This concentration has led to increased focus from the U.S. DoW and allied governments to develop alternative domestic and allied supply pathways for gallium and related semiconductor materials.

Metallium and Flash Metals Texas’ Flash Joule Heating technology provides a pathway to recover gallium from alternative feedstocks, including semiconductor scrap and electronic waste streams. By extracting gallium from these existing waste materials, the technology has the potential to help diversify supply sources, reduce reliance on primary gallium production concentrated in a single jurisdiction, and strengthen U.S. defense and semiconductor supply chains.

Next Steps

Completion of the Phase I SBIR program positions Flash Metals Texas to pursue Phase II SBIR funding of up to US$1 million, which would support further development and pilot-scale deployment of the technology.

In parallel, Metallium and Flash Metals Texas continue to advance development of its FJH platform at the Company’s Gator Point Technology Campus in Chambers County, Texas, where systems are being commissioned to process high-value waste feedstocks.