Key Points

• $250,000 research project: Three Texas A&M System universities are developing a gallium recovery and purification process for electronic waste.
• Semiconductor-grade material: The project aims to produce high-purity gallium oxide while reducing energy use and hazardous chemicals.
• Supply-chain opportunity: The research could support future domestic gallium recycling, although commercial-scale performance has not yet been established.

SCRAPMONSTER EDGE | CRITICAL MATERIALS & E-WASTE

Gallium Recovery Could Address a Major U.S. Recycling Gap

According to the U.S. Geological Survey, the United States reported 100% net import reliance for gallium in 2025. Domestic primary recovery has been absent since 1987, although high-purity gallium is recovered from certain manufacturing scrap streams.

The distinction matters for recyclers. The proposed Texas A&M process targets end-of-life electronics containing gallium nitride, rather than relying solely on material generated during semiconductor manufacturing.

Industry takeaway: If researchers can demonstrate commercially viable recovery rates, purification costs and consistent product quality, gallium-rich electronic waste could become a more valuable specialized recycling stream. Those technical and economic outcomes remain to be established.

Research Targets High-Purity Gallium Oxide Production

Gallium is used in compound semiconductors found in LED lighting, electric vehicles, advanced communications equipment and defense technologies.

Rather than allowing gallium-containing devices to enter conventional electronic waste streams without recovering the material, researchers are designing a multistage chemical process to extract and purify gallium from end-of-life electronics.

The objective is to produce high-purity gallium oxide suitable for semiconductor-related applications while reducing energy consumption and the use of hazardous chemicals.

The research remains at the development stage. The university has not announced commercial recovery volumes, demonstrated operating costs or a production facility.

Three Universities Collaborate on Gallium Extraction

Each participating university is responsible for a different part of the proposed recovery process.

• Prairie View A&M University: Initial selective precipitation to separate gallium-containing material.
• East Texas A&M University: Development of an integrated purification stage under Dr. Jang.
• Texas A&M University: Process intensification and production of device-grade gallium oxide for semiconductor applications.

The collaborative approach combines expertise in chemistry, materials science and process engineering to address extraction efficiency and product purity.

Project Could Support Future Industrial Recycling

The initial research program is funded for 12 months and is intended to establish the technical foundation for larger-scale development.

If successful, researchers hope to adapt the process for industrial use and pursue additional funding from federal agencies, including the U.S. Department of Energy, National Science Foundation and Department of Defense.

The project will also provide graduate and undergraduate students with practical research experience in chemical separation, materials recovery and semiconductor-related technologies.

For the recycling industry, the longer-term opportunity lies in determining whether gallium can be recovered economically from complex electronic waste while meeting the purity requirements of semiconductor manufacturers.