Ramaco Resources is moving to develop a potential domestic supply of two critical minerals used across the semiconductor and advanced-technology industries.
The company has entered into a non-binding memorandum of understanding with Indium Corporation to explore the potential supply of gallium and germanium from Ramaco's Brook Mine rare earth and critical-mineral project in Wyoming.
The proposed agreement brings together Ramaco's potential domestic mineral resource with Indium Corporation's expertise in refining, purifying and manufacturing advanced electronic materials.
Headquartered in Clinton, New York, Indium Corporation serves the semiconductor, electronics, aerospace, defense and advanced manufacturing sectors. Its products include semiconductor packaging and thermal interface materials, solder products and specialty metals, including gallium- and germanium-based materials used throughout the semiconductor supply chain.
Under the MOU, the companies will negotiate a potential supply arrangement for gallium and germanium produced from the Brook Mine.
The agreement is non-binding. Any future supply or offtake deal would depend on due diligence, definitive agreements, successful development of the Brook Mine and other conditions.
"Indium Corporation brings decades of experience supplying advanced electronic materials to the global semiconductor industry. We believe this MOU demonstrates a promising opportunity to introduce Brook Mine gallium and germanium into established domestic and allied supply chains.
"By combining Ramaco's potential domestic resource base with Indium Corporation's global materials expertise and established presence in advanced technology manufacturing, we believe this proposed relationship could strengthen and diversify the supply of materials that are increasingly critical to the U.S. electronics, semiconductor, and advanced manufacturing industries," said Randall Atkins, Chairman and CEO of Ramaco Resources.
Indium Corporation President and CEO Ross Berntson said the potential partnership could help connect a prospective U.S. source of critical minerals with the company's materials expertise.
"Gallium and germanium play an important role in many of the advanced technologies that are shaping our future," said Indium Corporation President and CEO Ross Berntson.
"At Indium Corporation, our expertise has always been rooted in materials science and in helping our customers solve complex challenges with reliable, high-performance materials. This MOU with Ramaco Resources, Inc. represents an opportunity to explore how our capabilities can complement a potential US source of these critical materials, while supporting the development of more resilient and diversified supply chains for the industries we serve."
The MOU marks an early step towards a potential domestic supply relationship, with any commercial agreement ultimately dependent on the Brook Mine's development and the successful completion of negotiations and due diligence.
_256_275.JPG)
