China restricts export of Ga and Ge

Exporters will need to apply for licences from China’s Ministry of Commerce providing details of the buyers.

China produces 94% of the world’s gallium according to last year’s report from the UK Critical Minerals Intelligence Centre. Other gallium producers are Japan, Korea, Russia and Ukraine.

China produces 60% of worldwide germanium output. Other major suppliers are Canada, Belgium, the USA and Russia.

The likely effect of China’s ban is that countries which face restrictions will set up their own production and China loses its position as the dominant world supplier of the two metals.