Russian scientists identify major new source of gallium in Southern Urals

Russian scientists have identified a previously unknown and exceptionally rich source of gallium in corundum deposits located in the Southern Urals, marking a significant breakthrough in the study of strategic and rare metals, as reported by the Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation.

Researchers from a leading geochemical institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences analysed trace elements in corundum from deposits of different geological origins and discovered that samples from the Ilmeny alkaline massif contain unusually high concentrations of gallium. In some cases, gallium levels were found to be almost 25 times higher than the average concentration in the Earth’s crust.

Gallium is classified as a rare dispersed metal and plays a crucial role in radio electronics, optoelectronics and semiconductor manufacturing. Geochemically, it behaves similarly to aluminium, sharing the same oxidation state and comparable ionic size. This allows gallium to integrate seamlessly into aluminium-bearing minerals such as corundum and related oxides.

According to the research team, the close structural relationship between gallium and aluminium explains the metal’s ability to accumulate within corundum crystals formed under specific geological conditions.

Using high-precision in situ laser ablation mass spectrometry, scientists measured trace concentrations of several elements, including beryllium, magnesium, titanium, vanadium, chromium, iron and gallium. The analysis revealed that corundum from the Ilmeny massif contains up to 370 micrograms of gallium per gram, a level unmatched among known primary corundum deposits worldwide.

Comparative data show that similar minerals from other well-known alkaline massifs contain significantly lower gallium concentrations. At present, the majority of gallium produced in Russia is extracted as a by-product from phosphate-bearing ores, where average concentrations are substantially lower.

The researchers believe that developing an economically viable extraction method for gallium bound in oxide minerals could open new industrial prospects for the Southern Urals. Such an approach may transform the Ilmeny massif into a strategically important source of gallium-rich raw materials.

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