Tawazun Council, aerospace and defence company RTX, and Emirates Global Aluminium (EGA) have signed an MoU to establish EGA as a new producer of gallium, a critical mineral essential to global supply chains.
The agreement will enable the extraction and refining of gallium at EGA’s alumina refinery in Abu Dhabi, elevating the UAE to the position of the world’s second-largest gallium producer.
Gallium plays a vital role in numerous industries, from semiconductors and electric vehicles to medical devices and telecom infrastructure. In the defence sector, it is particularly significant due to its use in advanced radar systems.
The new partnership will ensure a stable and secure supply of gallium for companies such as RTX.
Tawazun Council is leading this initiative through its Tawazun Economic Programme, a national strategy focused on attracting advanced technologies, promoting knowledge transfer, and building resilient industrial capabilities.
The programme underpins the UAE’s industrial security and ensures the defence sector’s competitiveness on a global scale.
Operation 300bn
H.E. Dr. Nasser Humaid Al Nuaimi, Secretary-General of Tawazun Council, highlighted that the initiative aligns with the Council’s new 2025–2028 strategy, which emphasises strengthening the national industrial base and developing state-of-the-art infrastructure to secure technological and industrial self-sufficiency. He noted the importance of attracting high-quality investments, broadening international and local partnerships, and empowering Emirati talent.
He described the project as a key milestone in advancing the UAE’s strategic industries, and a major step in positioning the country as a global hub for gallium production a rare and strategically vital metal. Dr. Al Nuaimi underscored the project’s role in enhancing production and export capabilities, supporting the creation of a sovereign national supply base, and reinforcing the UAE’s leadership in industrial innovation.
“The aerospace and defence industry relies on stable access to rare earth elements,” said Paolo Dal Cin, senior vice president 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 defence solutions.”
As part of the agreement, EGA and RTX plan to conduct a feasibility study for a high-purity gallium facility at EGA’s Al Taweelah alumina refinery.
This refinery converts bauxite into alumina, which is the essential raw material for aluminium production.
Gallium is naturally present in bauxite in trace amounts, and while it is considered an impurity in aluminium, it must be carefully managed to meet stringent quality requirements for advanced applications.
Abdulnasser Bin Kalban, chief executive officer of EGA, said, “Gallium is an important metal for the most advanced electronics systems but remains commercially challenging to produce. 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. We look forward to making progress on this project with our partners.”