Metallium Sparks Life into Texas Facility with First Chlorine Flash

In a fitting end to the calendar year, ASX-listed Metallium (ASX: MTM) has kicked off commissioning at its Texas Technology Campus, known as “Gator Point,” following a successful and safe maiden chlorine flash using its proprietary Flash Joule Heating (FJH) process.

It’s a milestone that not only underscores Metallium’s engineering chops but marks a crucial de-risking event in the company’s US ambitions, as it progresses toward full-scale operations in critical and precious metal recovery from e-waste.

Flash, Bang, Commissioning Begins

The first chlorine flash - effectively a hot and fast chemical reaction enabled by Metallium’s FJH tech - was completed without drama and in line with design parameters. This marked the first integrated operation of the FJH-chlorination process at the Texas site. For a company built on lab-tested tech, this real-world performance is a critical validation.

Metallium’s Managing Director & CEO, Michael Walshe, was quick to praise the team, saying:

“The successful completion of our first chlorine flash is a defining milestone… It confirms that the core FJH process is operating as designed under real operating conditions and marks the formal start of commissioning at Gator Point, exactly as planned”.

Demo Line Up and Running

If the FJH reactor is the engine, the three-crucible demonstration line is the test track. Now fully commissioned (both dry and wet), this line will serve a multi-purpose role: feedstock qualification, process optimisation, and customer or partner demonstrations. Think of it as Metallium’s own in-house test kitchen - with scalable recipes.

Permit in Pocket, Systems Online

One of the more significant behind-the-scenes wins was securing the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality’s Permit-by-Rule, granted on 5 December 2025. This green tick allows operations to proceed without further regulatory hurdles - no small feat given the complexity of chemical processing infrastructure in the US.

Commissioning is also advancing across broader systems: utilities, feedstock prep, environmental controls, gas-scrubbing, and safety circuits are all on the go as part of a structured roll-out over the coming months.

On Track for 8,000 TPA by Q3 2026

This isn’t just tinkering at the edges. Metallium’s game plan is a staged ramp-up to 8,000 tonnes per annum of printed circuit board (PCB) e-waste throughput, expected by the third quarter of 2026. Gold, copper, silver, and tin are the initial targets, with a gallium/germanium line in advanced planning - pending feedstock supply.

The company says it’s in advanced negotiations for long-term PCB supply deals. These offtake agreements are critical to securing the volume and quality of material needed to make the economics work.

Walshe summed it up:

“Securing high-quality, contracted feedstock is a critical pillar of our operating strategy as we scale toward 8,000 tonnes per annum of inbound PCB capacity”.

Strategic Site, Scalable Tech

Gator Point isn’t just a plant - it’s the prototype for Metallium’s broader US rollout. Built on a modular backbone, the site is designed for expansion, replication, and commercial deployment. It also acts as a demonstration and licensing hub for the company’s tech, putting Metallium squarely in the camp of US-based players looking to secure domestic supply chains for critical metals.

And given the site's location in an industrial corridor with access to logistics, utilities and skilled labour, it’s well-placed to anchor future build-own-operate projects across the US and potentially further afield.

The Bigger Picture

While the company still has hurdles to clear - feedstock contracts to finalise, further systems to commission, and product streams to optimise - this announcement positions Metallium as more than just a tech hopeful. With its Flash Joule Heating method now in operational motion, the company is edging into rarefied territory: a small cohort of next-gen critical-metals recyclers actually building plant and moving towards revenue.

There’s still a road ahead, but with sparks now flying at Gator Point, Metallium has turned the key on a potentially transformative phase of its journey. Investors will be watching closely to see if this flash of promise turns into a full-blown commercial burn.