US Critical Materials, GreenMet form alliance for gallium production

 US Critical Materials Corp. announced a strategic advisory alliance with GreenMet, a Washington, D.C.-based firm specializing in critical minerals strategy and financing.  This partnership, US Critical Materials said, marks a pivotal step in advancing domestic rare earth production, with gallium—a mineral of growing national security importance—at the forefront. US Critical Materials holds the highest-grade reported gallium deposit in the United States, with concentrations averaging 300 ppm at its Sheep Creek deposit in Montana. Gallium, essential for advanced semiconductors, defense electronics, and satellite communications, has been identified by the U.S. government as a critical mineral with high supply chain vulnerability.  The Utah-based privately held company has also reported rare earth samples from 125 feet underground at its property that exceed the grades of any other domestic rare earth resource.  Since early 2024, Phase I Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) researchers have confirmed the high concentrations of gallium and rare earth elements in the Sheep Creek orebody. US Critical Materials, led by US president and former USGS rare earth commodities specialist Jim Hedrick, said it will prioritize gallium as one of the first minerals to be processed under its Phase II CRADA with Idaho National Laboratory (INL).  Consistent with an Executive Order by President Trump in March 20, Critical Materials and Greenmet have entered into preliminary discussions with a major Army installation base located in Alabama as a site for the environmentally benign processing of rare earth elements, critical minerals, the strategic storing of these materials, and an Innovation Center to provide critical mineral war capabilities now.   Sheep Creek’s mineral profile is unmatched domestically, the company said, adding that ore grades approaching 9% total rare earths (89,932 ppm) and combined neodymium and praseodymium concentrations of 2.4% (23,810 ppm), as verified by the Idaho National Laboratory and by Activation Labs.  The initial 2.5 square mile site—part of a broader 11 square mile claim—hosts over 60 carbonatite formations, underscoring its vast potential for high-grade, strategically vital resources. GreenMet will serve as strategic advisor to US Critical Materials, supporting efforts to secure federal funding through grants and concessional loans aimed at strengthening U.S. critical mineral supply chains.   “Gallium is not just a mineral—it’s a strategic asset,” GreenMet CEO Drew Horn, former senior official at the White House National Security Council, said in a news release. “US Critical Materials is uniquely positioned to deliver high-grade gallium and rare earths from a secure domestic source, directly supporting U.S. national security and technological independence,” Horn said. “This alliance reinforces US Critical Materials’ commitment to building a resilient, domestic supply chain for critical minerals, with gallium as a cornerstone of its national security mission.” Weiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Mining.com Weiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Mining.com