The mining giant said it’s launching a research and development program to extract gallium from its Quebec alumina refinery. The research could lead to a smaller pilot plant that could produce 3.5 tonnes of gallium annually, and later, a commercial scale plant that could churn out five to 10 per cent of the world’s current gallium supply, about 40 tonnes. The province has promised the firm it will spend up to $7 million on the pilot if the R&D is successful. (The Logic)

Talking point: Rio Tinto’s chief executive of Aluminum, Jérôme Pécresse, said the Quebec project aims to beef up the North American supply of strategic minerals. China announced on Dec. 3 that it would ban U.S. exports of gallium, a critical mineral used in integrated circuits, as part of an escalating trade war in the semiconductor market. Gallium prices have since spiked to their highest levels since 2011, accounting for the fact that China currently produces 98 per cent of the global supply.