News: Suppliers
16 May 2025
Tawazun Council, RTX and EGA sign MOU to explore gallium production in Abu Dhabi
Tawazun Council (an independent government entity that works closely with the Ministry of Defence and security agencies in the United Arab Emirates), aerospace & defense company RTX of Arlington, VA, USA, and Emirates Global Aluminium (EGA, the world’s largest producer of ‘premium aluminium’, and the largest industrial firm in the United Arab Emirates outside the oil and gas industry) have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to establish EGA as a new producer of gallium. EGA is equally owned by Mubadala Investment Company of Abu Dhabi and the Investment Corporation of Dubai, and is the largest company jointly owned by the two Emirates.
The initiative would create gallium extraction and refining capabilities at EGA’s alumina refinery in Abu Dhabi and make the United Arab Emirates (UAE) the world’s second largest producer of gallium, it is reckoned.
For the defense industry, the supply of gallium is critical as it is a key component of defense products including advanced radars. This new agreement would secure access to this critical mineral for companies including RTX.
“The aerospace and defense industry relies on stable access to rare-earth elements,” notes Paolo Dal Cin, senior VP for operations and supply chain at RTX. “Today’s agreement puts us on a path towards a reliable supply of gallium, needed for production of critical aerospace and defense solutions.”
EGA and RTX anticipate entering into an agreement to conduct a feasibility study for a high-purity gallium plant at EGA’s Al Taweelah alumina refinery, which processes bauxite ore into alumina, the feedstock for aluminium smelters.
His Excellency Dr Nasser Humaid Al Nuaimi, Secretary General of Tawazun Council, reckons that the project is a pivotal milestone in developing the UAE’s vital industries, positioning the country as a global leader in gallium production.
“Gallium is an important metal for the most advanced electronics systems but remains commercially challenging to produce,” says EGA’s CEO Abdulnasser Bin Kalban. “This agreement between Tawazun Council, EGA and RTX makes the development of a new source of gallium in the UAE feasible, creating an additional revenue stream for EGA and a new industrial capability for the UAE in line with our nation’s industrial growth strategy Operation 300bn.”
Raytheon to develop ultra-wide-bandgap semiconductors for DARPA
