Critical mineral gallium attracts miners and explorers to regional WA

Analysts say the still-simmering trade dispute between China and the United States could open further opportunities for Australia's critical minerals sector.

Gallium, a mineral critical to computer processing, is one of the resources caught in the tariff battle, with China — the world's biggest supplier — banning exports to the US last year.

While the Australian industry is still in its early stages, global interest in artificial intelligence and the Albanese government's focus on critical minerals has sparked research and exploration in Western Australia with hopes of tapping the $3.8 billion international market.

What is gallium?

Gallium is one of Australia's 31 critical minerals with a wide range of uses, but it has gained attention recently for its efficiency in computer chip technology.

It is chiefly used in semiconductor production for smartphones and high-speed computer chips.

As computers and technology become more advanced, there is an increasing need for quicker and more efficient semiconductors.

Deputy director of Curtin University's Trailblazer program Andrew Bell said China's export ban had shone a spotlight on gallium.

"Mining companies have started to look at it in a lot more detail since then," he said.

"I definitely don't think that it's the be-all and end-all of critical mineral production in Australia.

Most standard computer semiconductors are made using silicon, which is relatively cheap and plentiful.

Scientists believe gallium-based semiconductors are better for more advanced applications because they can run faster, be smaller and consume less power.

'A growth market'

Compared to a commodity such as iron ore, the world consumes a minuscule amount of gallium.

But it is lucrative, with the price at the time of writing about $1,000 per kilogram, up 236 per cent since 2020.

According to a report from the Business Research Company, the worldwide gallium market is projected to grow to $US6.6 billion by 2029.

Growth in the sector is not just driven by the AI revolution but also advancements in healthcare, 6G telecommunications and tech used by the defence industry.

CSIRO senior scientist Chris Vernon said gallium was "dwarfed" compared to the value of other minerals, its high price driving its value.

"Despite it being a relatively small trade around the world, it turns into one of those things where if you don't have it — you'll pay any price for it," Dr Vernon said.

"Put yourself in the shoes of a chip maker who is about to make the latest AI chip that is going to run 100 times better than anyone else's, if you can't get the raw material you just don't have a business."

Race to supply

Across the globe, gallium is usually sourced as a bi-product in bauxite mining, used to make aluminium.

In Western Australia, exploration company Nimy Resources started drilling for gallium on Wednesday after a surprise discovery of the mineral in a sample last year.

Executive director Christian Price hoped the company could potentially be an alternative source of gallium outside China.

"It's one of those markets where we start to see gallium, you start to see the uses, you'll start to see it everywhere," Mr Price said.

"[Gallium] is going to be on the lips of a lot more technology manufacturers in the future and we'll start to understand the criticality of that to our modern world."

Researchers from Curtin University's School of Mines are working with Nimy Resources to further understand gallium's extraction process.