[News Terms] China Initiates Export Controls on 'Germanium'

'Germanium' is a metalloid that possesses some properties of both metals and nonmetals, with the chemical symbol Ge and atomic number 32.

It is obtained as a byproduct during the refining process of copper, lead, zinc, and other metals. Germanium has a bluish-gray metallic luster and is a hard element with chemical properties similar to silicon and tin. It was first discovered in 1886 by the German chemist Clemens Winkler.

Mao Ning, spokesperson for the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, emphasized on the 4th that China's export restrictions on gallium and germanium are not targeted at any specific country.
[Photo by AP, Beijing / Yonhap News]

It is used in the production of semiconductors, military radar, light-emitting diode (LED) panels, solar panels, and electric vehicles. Germanium is a rare earth element with an annual global production of about 120 tons. It exists naturally in mineral form, but obtaining high-purity germanium requires extracting (refining) it from minerals, making the process very complex.

Because of the high processing costs and limited demand, major mining companies have avoided production. This is why China, with lower production costs, controls more than 80% of the world's germanium output.

On the 3rd, China's Ministry of Commerce announced that starting from the 1st of next month, it will control the export of gallium and germanium. Exporting these metals will require permission from the Ministry of Commerce, and exporters must report detailed information about overseas buyers.

The Ministry of Commerce stated that if necessary, the export permit review could be escalated to the State Council (China's cabinet). In response, the domestic semiconductor industry expects that the direct impact on semiconductor production will not be significant. This is because germanium used in semiconductor processes can be substituted with other materials, and responses through diversifying import sources are also possible.

Our government is uncertain how long China's export controls will continue and does not rule out the possibility of expansion to other items, thus focusing on preparing long-term countermeasures.