Metallium reported testwork results demonstrating the application of its proprietary Flash Joule Heating technology across a range of strategic metal feedstocks and industrial waste streams.

The testing program was conducted on rare earth ores, germanium-bearing industrial wastes, spent catalytic converters, and red mud. The results show that the processing method can selectively recover, separate, and concentrate valuable materials from complex feedstocks.

Operating from its Gator Point Technology Campus in Chambers County, Texas, through its wholly owned subsidiary Flash Metals USA, Metallium is commercialising the proprietary processing platform. The company previously secured binding contracts covering 4,000 tonnes per annum, representing half of its Stage-1 throughput target of printed circuit board feedstock for its U.S. operations. In March 2026, Metallium executed a 10-year off-take agreement with Indium Corporation covering the supply of gallium, germanium, and other critical metals recovered using the processing technology.

The testwork delivered several specific operational outcomes. Raw, unbeneficiated rare earth element ore containing approximately 12% total rare earth oxides was converted directly into a mixed rare earth chloride product exceeding 83 wt% purity, achieving a greater than fourfold enrichment of neodymium and praseodymium in an initial unoptimized test.

Germanium was enriched by up to 280 times from zinc smelter waste, 240 times from semiconductor manufacturing waste, and 35 times from defense-related industrial waste. Testing on spent automotive catalytic converters produced a platinum, palladium, and rhodium-rich product exceeding 60% purity in a single, unoptimized treatment cycle.

In processing red mud, the method removed approximately 99% of iron and 94% of silicon while retaining about 95% of aluminum. Gallium was concentrated into a separate product stream, demonstrating the potential to recover critical metals while upgrading an industrial waste stream.

All testing was initiated at the request of industry participants across defense, manufacturing, and critical minerals, with commercial discussions ongoing between those participants and the company regarding potential agreements.

"While the processing of electronic waste (e-Waste) remains our immediate commercial priority, this broader testing program continues to demonstrate the potential application of our FJH platform across a substantially wide range of critical metal and industrial feedstocks, which open significant additional markets for commercialization of the technology,"

— Michael Walshe, Managing Director and CEO

Read the full announcement: Metallium Reports Successful Testing of its Proprietary Flash Joule Heating Technology on Rare Earth Elements, Germanium, PGMs and Red Mud/Gallium Advances Multiple Commercial Opportunities