The export of gallium from China increased significantly in April compared to the previous month, according to figures from the Chinese customs authorities. 5,182 kilograms of the technology metal were exported, an increase of 327% compared to March. However, this means that exports are still slightly below 2023 levels of the same period. The picture is different for germanium: at 2,345 kilograms, around 27% less was exported from the People’s Republic, although the figure is significantly higher than in April 2023. Beijing introduced export restrictions on the two critical raw materials in August last year. As a result, exports fell, partly because the required permits and applications can take several weeks to get processed. The main export destination in April was Germany. With 3,500 kilograms, more than half of all from China exported gallium was destined for the European country. Roughly half of the exported germanium was shipped to Germany.
The main applications for gallium and germanium are semiconductors, solar panels, LEDs, and lasers.
Source: Chinese Customs Administration
Photo: TRADIUM GmbH