Factbox: China's major germanium and gallium producers

AXT

07/07/2023 12:26

BEIJING, July 7 (Reuters) - China has announced export
restrictions to take effect from Aug. 1 on some gallium and
germanium products, metals used in computer chips and other
products, citing national security interests.
    China produces around 60% of the world's germanium, or 180
metric tons in 2022, and over 90% of the world's gallium, about
606 tons last year, according to research firm Antaike.
    Output of both metals rose 16% in 2022, the firm says.
    Here are some facts about major germanium and gallium
producers in China.
    
    YUNNAN GERMANIUM, AN ESTABLISHED PRODUCER 
    Headquartered in southwest China's Yunnan province, Yunnan
Lincang Xinyuan Germanium Industry Co. Ltd.  002428.SZ  extracts
germanium from its own germanium mines and germanium-containing
lignite coal mines.
    It has an annual capacity of 47.6 metric tons of germanium
ingot, 60 tons of germanium tetrahydride - used to build 5G
infrastructure - and 300,000 germanium wafers for solar cells.
    The company, which saw its shares hit the upper trading
limit three days in a row since Monday, reported a net loss of
62.4 million yuan ($8.62 million) in 2022, citing falling prices
amid dwindling demand at home and abroad.
    
    YUNNAN CHIHONG, A GROWING GERMANIUM PRODUCER
    Yunnan Chihong Zinc & Germanium Co  600497.SS , a subsidiary
of state giant Aluminum Corporation of China (Chinalco)
 601600.SS , says it is China's top producer of primary
germanium, with output of 56 metric tons of germanium products
in 2022.
    It has proven germanium resources linked to lead and zinc
ores of over 600 metric tons, accounting for around 17% of the
country's total, it says.
    The company's main business is producing zinc, lead, silver,
gold and other products but it increased germanium production by
almost 10 tons last year.
    It also started a production line for optical fiber
ultra-high purity germanium tetrachloride, with annual output of
30 metric tons.
        
  
    CHINALCO, A MAJOR GALLIUM PRODUCER
    State aluminium giant Chinalco has three gallium production
plants, one each in central China's Henan and southwestern
Guangxi and Guizhou provinces.
    It has annual production capacity of 200 metric tons of
gallium metal and produced 146 metric tons in 2022.
    Chinalco Chairman Duan Xiangdong said in April the company
aims to "nurture" leading minor metal companies, according to a
statement on its website that did not provide further details. 
    
    OTHER GALLIUM PRODUCERS
    Shanghai-based aluminium and alumina producer East Hope,
Zhuzhou Keneng New Material Co Ltd based in Zhuzhou in central
China's Hunan province and Zhuhai Fangyuan based in southern
Guangdong province also make the metal.
    Shanxi province-based Xiaoyi Xingan Gallium Industry Co. Ltd
is a joint venture between Xiaoyi Xing'an Chemical Co. and
Nanjing Jinmei Gallium Industry Co. Ltd., a subsidiary of
U.S.-based semiconductor wafer maker AXT Inc  AXTI.O . 
    China is the world's top aluminium producer and gallium is
made during the processing of alumina into aluminium.
    
($1 = 7.2355 Chinese yuan renminbi)

 (Reporting by Beijing newsroom and Dominique Patton in Beijing;
editing by David Evans)
 ((dominique.patton@thomsonreuters.com))