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#32Ge

Germanium Price

Semiconductor MetalExport Licence

Used in fiber optics, infrared optics, and semiconductors.

Main trade forms
Metal ingot / dioxide
Available from
CN, BE, CA, RU
Last update: Apr 4, 2026
5 records

Retail Reference

$1,200/kg
Metal 99.999% (5N) · 1 kg
Edgetech Industries · CN · Mar 15, 2026

Bulk Benchmark

n/a
No commodity benchmark available
Export LicenceChinese export licence required for Germanium in all controlled forms.Regulatory Tracker →

Applications

ApplicationRoleSignificance
Fibre-optic glassGeO2 dopant in silica fibre cores~30% of Ge demand. Raises core refractive index in single-mode telecom fibre. No qualified substitute.
Infrared opticsGe lenses, windows, prisms (8 to 12 µm band)Thermal-imaging optics for FLIR cameras, missile seekers, and automotive night-vision. Defence-critical.
Solar cellsGe wafer substrate for III-V multi-junction cellsSpace-grade and concentrator photovoltaics built on Ge wafer foundations
PET catalystGeO2 alternative to Sb2O3 in PET polymerisationHigh-clarity bottle-grade PET (Japan/Korea preference); avoids antimony residue
SiGe semiconductorsStrained-SiGe epilayers in BiCMOS RF devicesRF amplifiers, automotive radar, high-speed digital ICs

Market & Supply

Global refined production ~140 t/year [5]
China refining share ~60%
Other refiners Russia, Belgium, Canada, USA
Source Zn smelter residues, fly ash
Export control MOFCOM No. 23/2023 + 46/2024 [2,3]
Ge metal benchmark $2,900 to $3,500/kg (FOB China)
GeO2 retail (1 kg) $1,400 to $2,500/kg
Hand-portioned metal $3,500 to $8,000/kg

Verified Offers

Germanium spot prices roughly doubled between mid-2023 and Q4 2025 in the wake of the No. 23/2023 controls and subsequent US ban. The auto-rendered table shows tracked retail listings.

PurityMOQOriginalSourceVerification
2026-04-04Metal99.999% (5N)0.0053 kg0.0053 kg$16,03816,038 USD/kgmarketplace listingLuciteriaUSsingle source offer0.50
2026-03-15Metal99.999% (5N)1 kg1 kg$1,4501,450 USD/kgdistributor offerStanford Advanced MaterialsUSsingle source offer0.60
2026-03-15Metal99.999% (5N)1 kg1 kg$1,2001,200 USD/kgdistributor offerEdgetech IndustriesCNsingle source offer0.60
2026-03-15Metal99.999% (5N)1 kg1 kg$1,7501,750 USD/kgdistributor offerAmerican ElementsUSsingle source offer0.60
2026-03-15Metal99.999% (5N)1 kg1 kg$1,3001,300 USD/kgmarketplace offerALB MaterialsCNsingle source offer0.60

5 records · click a column to sort

Important Notes

US dual-use ban suspended, not lifted Article 2 of MOFCOM No. 46/2024 (the outright Ge dual-use ban targeting US end-users) is suspended until 28 November 2026 under No. 72/2025 [4]. The general Ge licensing regime under No. 23/2023 [2] remains fully active.
Defence IR optics exposure Ge is the dominant lens material for the 8 to 12 µm thermal-imaging window. NATO FLIR sensors, missile seekers, and night-vision systems are heavily Ge-dependent. US DoD has funded multiple Ge stockpile and reshoring solicitations.
Recycling matters Ge is one of the most recycled minor metals: ~30% of global supply comes from new and old scrap (fibre-optic preform offcuts, infrared optics). Recycling buffers price spikes but cannot fully offset primary supply disruption.
Physical Properties [1]
Z: 32 · Ar: 72.630 u · ρ: 5.323 g/cm3 · Tm: 938.25 °C · Tb: 2,833 °C
Crystal: diamond cubic · Config: [Ar]3d104s24p2 · Ox. states: -4, +2, +4

References

  1. Wolfram Alpha, “Germanium element.” wolframalpha.com.
  2. MOFCOM Announcement No. 23 of 2023, “Export Control of Gallium and Germanium Related Items,” effective 1 August 2023.
  3. MOFCOM Announcement No. 46 of 2024, “Strengthening Export Controls on Dual-Use Items to the United States,” 3 December 2024.
  4. MOFCOM Announcements No. 70 and 72 of 2025 (suspension orders), 7 to 9 November 2025.
  5. United States Geological Survey, Mineral Commodity Summaries 2025: Germanium, January 2025.

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