Alcoa’s Gallium Project Strengthens Nimy’s Strategic Position in WA’s Emerging Gallium Supply Chain
Perth, 21 October 2025
The announcement that Alcoa Corporation (NYSE: AA, ASX: AAI) will advance development of a gallium extraction plant at its Wagerup alumina refinery in Western Australia has marked a turning point for the nation’s critical minerals landscape — and represents a significant opportunity for Nimy Resources (ASX: NIM) as one of Australia’s few explorers with a soon to be completed JORC 2012 – compliant Gallium Resource with the addition of an expanded Gallium and initial Rare Earth exploration target.
The U.S., Australian and Japanese governments, alongside Japan’s Sojitz Corporation, have confirmed their support for Alcoa’s plan to establish a plant capable of producing 100 tonnes of gallium per year by 2026. The move aims to secure non-Chinese gallium supply chains for semiconductor, defense, and clean energy technologies — aligning directly with Nimy’s development focus at its Block 3 Gallium Project, part of the broader Mons Critical Minerals Project north of Southern Cross, WA.
Shared National Strategic Context
While Alcoa’s gallium will be recovered from bauxite refining, Nimy’s gallium is found in primary mineralisation within granitic and volcanic sequences, providing a complementary domestic supply source with different processing and feed characteristics. Together, these assets strengthen Australia’s ability to meet rising global gallium demand through diverse production pathways.
Nimy’s Managing Director Luke Hampson said the Alcoa announcement underscores the growing recognition of gallium’s strategic importance:
“Government support for Alcoa’s Wagerup project validates gallium as a critical mineral of national interest and reinforces Australia’s role in securing allied supply chains. For Nimy, it highlights the commercial and strategic relevance of our Block 3 discovery as one of the few known high-grade gallium deposits under development in Australia.”
Potential Collaboration and Industry Synergies
With U.S., Japanese and Australian backing to be formalised through Alcoa’s special purpose vehicle (SPV) arrangement, the emerging gallium ecosystem opens the door for future partnerships, technology sharing, and offtake discussions.
Nimy’s recent MoU with U.S.-based M2i Global, which includes potential government introductions and funding pathways, further positions the company to benefit from this growing network of critical mineral initiatives between the same allied nations.
Accelerating the Gallium Momentum
Nimy is currently finalising its JORC 2012 – compliant Gallium Resource at Block 3 and has ongoing programs expanding the known mineralised footprint across its tenement package. The company’s assay results to date have confirmed high-grade gallium intervals exceeding 450 g/t Ga₂O₃, establishing a strong foundation for potential future supply into the Western supply chain that Alcoa’s project seeks to anchor.
“The timing is ideal,” Hampson said.
As governments invest in gallium refining capability, explorers like Nimy are building the upstream feed base. The synergy between these efforts is critical for establishing a vertically integrated, secure gallium industry in Western Australia.
Building a Critical Minerals Future
Alcoa’s Wagerup project represents one of the most advanced government-backed gallium developments outside China, targeting final investment decision and production by 2026. Nimy’s parallel progress at Block 3 provides the exploration and resource component essential to sustaining that ecosystem long-term.
Together, these projects position Western Australia — and companies like Nimy — at the forefront of the global transition toward independent critical mineral supply chains.
Source: Alcoa