Tawazun Council, RTX and EGA Sign MOU to Explore Gallium Production in Abu Dhabi

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ABU DHABI, May 16, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Tawazun Council; aerospace and defense company RTX (NYSE: RTX); and Emirates Global Aluminium (EGA), the world's largest producer of "premium aluminium," signed a memorandum of understanding to establish EGA as a new producer of gallium, a critical mineral used across global supply chains.

This initiative would create gallium extraction and refining capabilities at EGA's alumina refinery in Abu Dhabi and make the UAE the world's second largest producer of gallium.

Gallium has applications across many different sectors, including in the production of semiconductors, electric vehicles, medical devices and telecom infrastructure. 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," 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 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. Gallium is found in trace amounts in bauxite. As gallium is an impurity in aluminium, gallium levels must be carefully managed in metal for the most demanding applications.

His Excellency Dr. Nasser Humaid Al Nuaimi, Secretary General of Tawazun Council, emphasized the project is a pivotal milestone in developing the UAE's vital industries, positioning the country as a global leader in gallium production — a rare metal essential for sectors including semiconductors, military radar, electric vehicles, medical technology and telecommunications.

"Gallium is an important metal for the most advanced electronics systems but remains commercially challenging to produce," said Abdulnasser Bin Kalban, chief executive officer of EGA. "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."