US drops $150 million on ATALCO to ramp up gallium production

Business Jan 13, 2026

The US government is putting $150 million into Atlantic Alumina (ATALCO) to boost gallium output at its Gramercy refinery in Louisiana.
The move, backed by over $300 million in private investment, aims to upgrade the country's only large-scale alumina refinery—which already supplies about 40% of US demand—and kickstart large-scale gallium production.

Why should you care?

Gallium might not be a household name, but it's a key ingredient in military systems, advanced semiconductors, aerospace, defense, and energy technologies.
Right now, China dominates the global supply.
By investing at home, the US hopes to cut reliance on foreign sources and keep critical tech manufacturing closer to home—making supply chains stronger for the future.