Janet Finch-Saunders MS, Shadow Minister for Climate Change, has revealed that the Welsh Government have taken no steps to unleash the major economic opportunity that exists in Wales through extraction of critical raw materials.
The Shadow Minister for Climate Change has long highlight Wales and the UK’s over reliance in imported goods. As part of this, she has been encouraging the Welsh Government to facilitate the extraction of critical raw materials in Wales.
The UK critical minerals list published last month (November 2024) highlighted gallium as one of the critical mineral.
Gallium is essential to numerous industries, most notably semiconductors, microprocessors, solar PVs, and magnets used in renewable technologies. It also has important military applications, including in radar, high-powered lasers, and satellites. China currently accounts for 95% of gallium production.
Commenting on the supply of gallium, Janet said:
“It is unreasonable for Wales and the UK to be so dependent on China for gallium. In fact, since China introduced new regulations in 2023, exporting has become more difficult and the price of the mineral is increasing.
“As has been highlighted by the British Geological Survey, China’s trade restrictions have affected global supply risk and UK economic vulnerability. In fact, gallium has one of the highest scores for global supply risk in the whole study, so urgent action is required to produce gallium here in Wales.
“The British Geological Survey has shown the potential for sourcing gallium in North and Central Wales, Pembrokeshire, and South Wales. Even the Welsh Government has acknowledged the potential in North-West Wales, yet they have not undertaken an assessment of the possibility of extraction.
“Rather than wait and see if a planning application to extract gallium is submitted, the Welsh Government should take steps to encourage such an application. Doing so would be in the interest of Net Zero 2050, economic security, and national security”.
ENDS
Photo:
Janet Finch-Saunders MS
Question to the Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy, and Planning:
Janet Finch-Saunders MS: What assessment has the Cabinet Secretary made of the possibility of extracting gallium in Wales, given that it is on the UK’s critical minerals list? (WQ95264)
Response from Rebecca Evans MS:
“I have not made any assessment of the possibility of extracting Gallium in Wales. The UK Critical Minerals Intelligence Centre has concluded that north-west Wales contains possible sources of Critical Raw Materials, which includes Gallium. If any planning applications to extract or process ores containing Gallium come forward, they will be assessed against national and local planning policies.”
