In 2022, China supplied 27 tonnes of gallium to Germany, accounting for 55% of total imports.
Regarding germanium, China supplied 3 tonnes, or 75%, according to data supplied by the Federal Institute for Geosciences and Natural Resources (BGR).
A German industry representative said earlier on Wednesday that China's decision may be in response to U.S. trade restrictions, but its impact will also be felt in Europe.
"It is not yet possible to predict whether these measures will have an impact on our supply of these raw materials," Franziska Brantner, state secretary in Germany's economy ministry, told Reuters.
"Based on what is known so far is initially only an export control measure, not restrictions," Brantner said.
Persons:
Holger Kunze, Kunze, Franziska Brantner, Brantner, Germany's, Christoph Steitz, Riham, Rachel More, Friederike Heine, Alexander Smith, David Gregorio Our
Organizations:
Federal Institute for Geosciences, Natural Resources, Reuters, Thomson
Locations:
BERLIN, China, Beijing, United States, Germany, U.S, Europe, Brussels