Exports of crucial semiconductor materials germanium and gallium have been caught up in a game of cat and mouse between the US and China, with Beijing’s primary motivation to show that it is able to retaliate against US-led pressures on Chinese companies.
China imposed stringent export controls on germanium and gallium in 2023, a move that has since rippled through global markets. These materials are vital for the production of advanced microprocessors and military optical hardware, and the restrictions have raised alarms over potential shortages in Western production capabilities.
China’s dominance in the global supply of these materials is formidable, producing the majority of the world’s gallium and a significant portion of germanium. This has left Western industries heavily reliant on the Asian nation’s exports. The availability of these materials outside China has plummeted since the implementation of the controls.
US companies are grappling with the challenges of obtaining export licenses and facing a limited stock of germanium and gallium. Efforts are underway to increase local production and find substitutes for these critical minerals. Companies such as Mytilineos and Nyrstar are exploring potential projects for extracting gallium and recovering gallium and germanium in Europe.
Recycling initiatives are also being considered to recover these metals from scrap. However, these alternative avenues come at a significant cost. Developing a separate supply chain for processing gallium and germanium for the US and its allies could span several years.
The cat and mouse game between the US and China over crucial semiconductor materials germanium and gallium continues. In an attempt to retaliate against US-led pressures, Beijing imposed stringent export controls on these critical minerals last year.
The controls have profoundly impacted the global markets. Germany and gallium, which are crucial for advanced microprocessor production, are nearly entirely produced in China, leading Western countries heavily dependent on their export.
In light of China’s hold on germanium and gallium exports, global supply of the material continues to plunge, long-term contracts, along with expensive shipments getting extended into approval procedure amid future chaos still look long-similar issue this said might indeed prevent on creating both disruption