Neo Performance CEO Constantine Karayannopoulos told Reuters that it would be difficult to meet market demand without Chinese gallium supply though work-arounds could be possible with the "right industrial public policy incentives."įlags of China and U.S. Shares in 5N Plus Inc (VNP.TO), a Canada-based company that produces specialty semiconductors and performance materials, rallied 8.9%, while Neo Performance Materials (NEO.TO), a recycler of gallium and manufacturer gallium trichloride, rose 5.73%. Shares in Teck Resources (TECKb.TO), North America's biggest germanium producer, briefly climbed more than 1% in early trading before recording a gain of 0.11% on Tuesday. In a sign of the potential for new production outside China, Nyrstar (NYR.BR) said it would look at germanium and gallium projects in Australia, Europe and the United States. The commerce ministry will meet with major producers of the metals on Thursday to discuss the export restrictions, four people familiar with the matter told Reuters. Top importers of germanium products were Japan, France, Germany and the United States, it said. In 2022, top importers of China's gallium products were Japan, Germany and the Netherlands, news website Caixin said, citing customs data. "It is a fantasy to suggest that another country can replace China in the short or even medium term."Ĭhina produces most of the world's gallium and germanium. "Gallium and germanium are just a couple of the minor metals that are so important for the range of tech products and China is the dominant producer of most of these metals," Arkell said. China is the world's biggest producer of rare earths, a group of metals used in EVs and military equipment. Some in the metals industry said they feared China could follow with new restrictions on rare earth exports, after curbing shipments 12 years ago in a dispute with Japan.
The eight gallium and six germanium products cited are also used in other high-tech industries.
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