Metallium Limited has completed Phase I of a U.S. Department of War SBIR contract, demonstrating its Flash Joule Heating technology can recover gallium from semiconductor and electronic waste. The program finished in six months, underscoring the technology’s readiness and aligning with U.S. strategic supply chain goals.
- Phase I SBIR contract with U.S. Department of War successfully completed
- All technical milestones met or exceeded using Flash Joule Heating technology
- Gallium recovered from semiconductor and electronic waste streams
- Program delivered in half the typical SBIR Phase I timeline
- Positioned for Phase II funding and commercial deployment in Texas
Completion of U.S. Defense Contract
Metallium Limited (ASX: MTM; OTCQX: MTMCF, MTLMY) announced the successful completion of Phase I of its Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) contract with the U.S. Department of War (DoW) through the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA). The program focused on recovering gallium from semiconductor scrap and electronic waste using Metallium’s proprietary Flash Joule Heating (FJH) technology.
The company reported achieving or exceeding all technical milestones within six months, approximately half the usual twelve-month duration for SBIR Phase I projects. This accelerated timeline was highlighted by Metallium’s President of U.S. Operations, Steve Ragiel, as indicative of the maturity and readiness of the FJH technology platform.
Technology and Strategic Importance
Gallium is a critical material for defence applications, including radar, satellite electronics, missile guidance, and advanced semiconductors. The United States currently relies entirely on imports for its gallium supply, with China responsible for nearly 100% of global primary production, according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS, 2025).
Metallium’s FJH technology enables rapid electrothermal chlorination to extract gallium and other strategic metals such as germanium from waste streams. This approach offers a potential pathway to diversify supply sources and reduce reliance on primary production concentrated in a single jurisdiction, aligning with U.S. strategic objectives to secure domestic supply chains for defence-critical minerals.
Next Steps and Commercial Development
Following Phase I completion, Metallium is positioned to pursue Phase II SBIR funding of up to US$1 million to support further development and pilot-scale deployment of the technology. Concurrently, the company is advancing commissioning at its Gator Point Technology Campus in Texas, where systems are being prepared to process high-value waste feedstocks.
This development complements Metallium’s recent 10-year off-take agreement with Indium Corporation, a major U.S. refiner of gallium and germanium, which was announced in late March 2026. The collaboration aims to underpin secure domestic supply chains for critical metals used in electronics, artificial intelligence, and defence technologies.
Completion of this U.S. federal government contract marks Metallium’s first within the DoW innovation ecosystem, potentially opening avenues for further engagement with defence-related programs.
Bottom Line?
Metallium’s accelerated SBIR Phase I success underscores its technology’s potential role in U.S. critical minerals supply chains, though commercial scale-up and Phase II funding remain to be secured.
Questions in the middle?
- Will Metallium secure Phase II SBIR funding and what milestones will it target?
- How quickly can Metallium scale its Texas facility to commercial production levels?
- What impact will Metallium’s technology have on reducing U.S. dependence on imported gallium?