TOKYO (Reuters) -Japanese trading house Sojitz established a joint venture with Japan Organization for Metals and Energy Security (JOGMEC) to study gallium production in Australia, Sojitz said on Monday.
Gallium, a critical mineral, is used in semiconductors where demand continues to grow with the expansion of electric cars, mobile devices and other electronic items.
The joint venture, Japan Australia Gallium Associates (JAGA), signed a joint development agreement with U.S. Alcoa to explore the feasibility of producing gallium at Alcoa’s alumina refinery in Western Australia.
The companies aim for final investment decision by the end of 2025, Sojitz said on Monday, and production in 2026 with gallium to be sold in Japan and in other countries.
(Reporting by Katya Golubkova; Editing by Harikrishnan Nair)
