The finances will support the construction of a gallium production facility in Louisiana.
The U.S. government has made another move to secure the domestic supply of critical minerals, taking a $150 million equity stake in Atlantic Alumina Co. (ATALCO), according to Bloomberg. The investment will fund the establishment of the country’s first large-scale gallium production facility in Gramercy, Louisiana, alongside a $300 million contribution from a private investment company. Gallium is essential for satellite systems, military radar, aerospace, semiconductors, and energy technologies. It is not mined directly but extracted as a byproduct in zinc or bauxite production, the latter of which forms the base of aluminum production.
The ATALCO investment follows a series of U.S. government moves to secure critical raw materials. The Pentagon has previously taken stakes in companies such as MP Materials and Trilogy Metals and has provided funding to strengthen domestic and overseas supply chains. These efforts are aimed at reducing dependence on China for strategic minerals, a key national security priority.
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