RareX Unveils Record Gallium Grades at Cummins Range Amid Soaring Demand

Exceptional Gallium Intercepts at Cummins Range

RareX Limited (ASX – REE) has announced a series of impressive high-grade gallium intercepts from re-assaying 16 drill holes at its Cummins Range carbonatite deposit in Western Australia. The standout result is a 115-metre intercept averaging 146 grams per tonne of gallium oxide (Ga2O3), including a remarkable 53 metres at 200 g/t Ga2O3. These figures represent the widest and highest-grade gallium intercepts recorded at the site to date, underscoring the deposit’s exceptional metal content.

Gallium, a critical metal with limited global supply, is increasingly vital for advanced technologies such as high-performance semiconductors used in artificial intelligence, telecommunications, and renewable energy systems. RareX’s CEO James Durrant emphasised that these results cement Cummins Range as one of Australia’s premier gallium resources, elevating gallium to a core value alongside rare earth elements and scandium.

Strategic Importance of Gallium Amid Supply Constraints

The global gallium market is heavily dominated by China, which controls approximately 98% of production. Recent export restrictions imposed by Beijing have disrupted supply chains and driven prices to their highest levels since 2011, with gallium prices surging to around US$575 per kilogram in late 2024. This near-monopoly situation has heightened supply risks for importing nations, especially as demand is forecasted to grow tenfold over the next decade.

RareX’s discovery and confirmation of high-grade gallium at Cummins Range come at a pivotal moment. The company is actively exploring both conventional and alternative processing methods in collaboration with partners such as Gega Elements and SGS Lakefield to unlock the full value of gallium alongside rare earths and scandium.

Expanding Resource and Future Potential

The re-assaying program is ongoing, with 26 drill holes from the 2020 infill drilling campaign still to be analysed. The 2020 program was designed to upgrade the resource classification from inferred to indicated, enhancing confidence in the deposit’s continuity and grade. Early results confirm consistent high-grade gallium over wide intervals, often coinciding with elevated rare earth and scandium grades.

With a current resource of 524 million tonnes at 0.31% total rare earth oxides (TREO), 4.6% phosphate, and 70 g/t scandium oxide, Cummins Range is already Australia’s largest undeveloped rare earths project. The addition of significant gallium grades further strengthens its strategic and commercial appeal.

Market Outlook and Sector Implications

Gallium’s expanding applications span semiconductors, optoelectronics, defense, and renewable energy technologies. Particularly notable is gallium nitride’s role in next-generation power electronics and 5G infrastructure, alongside its use in thin-film solar panels. The renewable energy sector alone is expected to drive gallium demand dramatically, with projections indicating Europe may require up to 26 times current production levels by 2030.

RareX’s timing aligns with these market dynamics, positioning the company to benefit from gallium’s rising strategic importance. However, the company must still complete its re-assaying program and refine processing technologies to fully realise the deposit’s value.