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.”
Mae Janet Finch-Saunders AS, Gweinidog yr Wrthblaid dros Newid Hinsawdd, wedi datgelu nad yw Llywodraeth Cymru wedi cymryd unrhyw gamau i elwa ar y cyfle economaidd mawr sy'n bodoli yng Nghymru drwy echdynnu deunyddiau crai hanfodol.
Mae Gweinidog yr Wrthblaid dros Newid Hinsawdd wedi tynnu sylw ers tro byd at orddibyniaeth Cymru a'r DU ar nwyddau wedi'u mewnforio. Fel rhan o hyn, mae hi wedi bod yn annog Llywodraeth Cymru i hwyluso echdynnu deunyddiau crai hanfodol yng Nghymru.
Roedd rhestr mwynau hanfodol y DU, a gyhoeddwyd fis diwethaf (Tachwedd 2024), yn tynnu sylw at galiwm fel un o'r mwynau hanfodol.
Mae galiwm yn hanfodol i nifer o ddiwydiannau, yn enwedig lled-ddargludyddion, microbrosesyddion, paneli solar ffotofoltäig a magnetau a ddefnyddir mewn technolegau adnewyddadwy. Mae ganddo ddefnyddiau pwysig yn y diwydiant milwrol hefyd, gan gynnwys mewn radar, laserau pŵer uchel a lloerennau. Ar hyn o bryd, Tsieina sy'n cynhyrchu 95% o galiwm y byd.
Wrth sôn am y cyflenwad galiwm, dywedodd Janet:
“Mae'n afresymol i Gymru a'r DU fod mor ddibynnol ar Tsieina am galiwm. Yn wir, ers i Tsieina gyflwyno rheoliadau newydd yn 2023, mae allforio wedi dod yn anoddach ac mae pris y mwyn yn cynyddu.
“Fel y nodwyd gan Arolwg Daearegol Prydain, mae cyfyngiadau masnach Tsieina wedi effeithio ar risg y cyflenwad byd-eang a bregusrwydd economaidd y DU. Mewn gwirionedd, galiwm sydd ag un o'r sgoriau uchaf o ran risg y cyflenwad byd-eang yn yr astudiaeth gyfan, felly mae angen gweithredu ar frys i gynhyrchu galiwm yma yng Nghymru.
“Mae Arolwg Daearegol Prydain wedi dangos y potensial ar gyfer cyrchu galiwm yn y Gogledd a'r Canolbarth, Sir Benfro a'r De. Mae hyd yn oed Llywodraeth Cymru wedi cydnabod y potensial yn y Gogledd-orllewin, ond eto nid yw wedi cynnal asesiad o'r posibilrwydd o echdynnu.
“Yn hytrach nag aros i weld a fydd cais cynllunio i echdynnu galiwm yn cael ei gyflwyno, dylai Llywodraeth Cymru gymryd camau i annog cais o'r fath. Byddai gwneud hynny er budd Sero Net 2050, diogelwch economaidd a diogelwch gwladol”.
DIWEDD
Ffotograff:
Janet Finch-Saunders AS
Cwestiwn i Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet dros yr Economi, Ynni a Chynllunio:
Janet Finch-Saunders AS: Pa asesiad y mae'r Ysgrifennydd Cabinet wedi'i wneud o'r posibilrwydd o echdynnu galiwm yng Nghymru, o ystyried ei fod ar restr mwynau critigol y DU? (WQ95264)
Ymateb gan Rebecca Evans AS:
“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.”
