When the preliminary phase of technology development is conclusive, Rio Tinto plans to build a demonstration plant in Saguenay for extraction technology that can produce up to 3.5 tonnes of gallium per year. The Government of Quebec has committed up to C$7 million for the demonstration phase. Eventually, the extraction potential of a commercial-scale plant could reach 40 tonnes annually, representing between 5 and 10 per cent of current world gallium production.
Primary gallium is used in key sectors, including the manufacture of integrated circuits, which are of vital importance in many new technologies such as high-performance radar, smartphones, electric cars and laptops.
