Germanium ores are rare and most germanium is produced as a by-product of zinc production and from coal fly ash.
China produces around 60% of the world's germanium, according to the European association Critical Raw Materials Alliance (CRMA), with the rest coming from Canada, Finland, Russia and the United States.
Gallium is found in trace amounts in zinc ores and in bauxite, and gallium metal is produced when processing bauxite to make aluminium.
Around 80% is produced in China, according to the CRMA.
Gallium is used to make gallium arsenide for use in electronics.
Persons:
Eikon, Dominique Patton, Mai, Tom Hogue
Organizations:
Alliance, Shanghai Metal Exchange, Thomson
Locations:
BEIJING, China, Canada, Finland, Russia, United States, Europe, Japan, U.S, Mai Nguyen, Beijing