The TRACE-Ga program is the latest effort to bolster domestic supply chains of critical minerals.
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has announced its intent to launch a new program designed to establish a domestic supply chain for gallium, a critical metal used in high-tech fields such as semiconductors, photovoltaics, and optoelectronics.
The Technology for Recovery and Advanced Critical-material Extraction–Gallium (TRACE-Ga) initiative will fund prototype technologies that recover gallium from U.S. metal processing feedstocks. Prospective projects must demonstrate the ability to produce at least 50 kilograms of pure gallium during a two-week continuous operation using industry streams, with the long-term objective of scaling up to one metric ton of annual production. According to figures by the U.S. Geological Survey, the country domestic industry consumes roughly 19 tons annually. Applicants must be U.S.-based and are required to show prior success in gallium recovery, secure support from feedstock owners, and outline credible plans for commercialization.
Latest Effort in Securing Domestic Critical Mineral Supply Chains
The program is the largest federal gallium-specific initiative to date, but it builds on a broader push to secure domestic supplies of critical minerals. Earlier this month, the Department of Defense awarded a contract to Flash Metals Texas, which is testing a process for extracting gallium from electronic waste and industrial scrap (we reported). Similarly, the Pentagon has recently supported rare earth refining and domestic tungsten mining, while the DOE last month announced nearly $1 billion in funding for mining, processing, and recycling critical materials. Companies such as ReElement Technologies in Indiana are also receiving government support to expand refining capacity for rare earths and lithium.
China’s restrictions on gallium exports, first imposed through a licensing system in mid-2023 and escalated into a full ban on U.S. shipments in December 2024, have highlighted the U.S.’ dependence on foreign sources of the metal.
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