Infographic

Germanium in numbers

Germanium (Ge) drawn as one poster: 140 t of world refinery production in 2021, China the largest producer, 6 critical mineral lists. Scroll to draw it, then download it as SVG or PNG.

PROSPECTOR TRAILS · INFOGRAPHIC · DATA YEAR 2021GermaniumGeTechnology metal · symbol GeGermanium is used in fibre optics, infrared optics for defence and thermal imaging, solar cellsfor satellites and semiconductors. It is recovered from zinc smelting and coal fly ash.WORLD REFINERY PRODUCTION 2021140 tGe (primary and secondary refinery). USGS MineralCommodity Summaries.TOP PRODUCER: CHINA68%95 t of the world total in 2021.CRITICAL MINERAL LISTS6Current government critical or strategic lists naminggermanium, across 6 jurisdictions.TOP 3 PRODUCERS71%US NET IMPORT RELIANCE 202550%PRICE 20252,500 $/kgTOP PRODUCERS 2021Where germanium comes fromChina95 t68%Russia5.0 t3.6%Refinery production, Ge (primary and secondary refinery). Source: USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026, estimates.USGS stopped publishing country production after 2021; China was then the largest producer by far,with Russia also significant. World refinery output is in the low hundreds of tonnes.1957–2020A century of germanium production0.00 t50 t100 t150 t200 t195719661975198419932002201120202020: 140 t1957: 41 tWorld production, USGS column 'World production'. Source: USGS Data Series 140, historical statistics.PRODUCING COUNTRIES2 countries reported germanium output in 2021Filled countries produce it; brighter is larger. Outline map simplified from Natural Earth.TRADE FLOWS 2024Biggest germanium trade routesChina → South Korea$93 mSingapore → China$60 mChina → United States$53 mBrazil → China$44 mOther Asia → Japan$41 mHS 811292: Unwrought Ga/Ge/In/Hf/Nb/Re/V and powders (basket HS 8112.92). World trade $856 m in 2024. Source: CEPII BACI(HS22).POLICYOn the critical listsUnited States (USGS): critical 2025European Union: strategic 2024United Kingdom (BGS): critical 2024Australia: critical 2024Canada: critical 2024India: critical 2023EXPORT CONTROLSChina: licensing requirement from 2023. Source: OECD export restrictions inventory and government notices, asrecorded in our data.prospectortrails.comSources: USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries, CEPII BACI, IEA (CC BY 4.0), World Bank,government lists. Figures rounded.PROSPECTOR TRAILSOpen data, drawn in numbers
Germanium infographic: world production, top producers, a century of output, producing countries on a map, trade routes, critical lists. Data year 2021.

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The numbers

The figures on the poster, with their sources. Production and reserves are USGS estimates, trade values are CEPII BACI customs data, demand is the IEA's outlook.

World refinery production, 2021
140 t (Ge (primary and secondary refinery)) USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026
Largest producer
China, 95 t (68% of world) USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026
Top three producers' share
71% USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026
Critical mineral lists
6 current lists in 6 jurisdictions (Australia, Canada, European Union, United Kingdom, India, United States) government critical mineral lists
US net import reliance, 2025
50% USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026
Price, 2025
2,500 $/kg (Price, annual average, dollars per kilogram: Germanium dioxide) USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026
World production, 1957
41 t (USGS historical series, as reported) USGS Data Series 140 (historical statistics)
World production, 2020 (historical series)
140 t USGS Data Series 140 (historical statistics)
Largest trade flow, 2024
China → South Korea, $93 m (HS 811292, Unwrought Ga/Ge/In/Hf/Nb/Re/V and powders); world trade $856 m CEPII BACI trade database
Export controls
China (licensing requirement)

Sources

USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026 · USGS Data Series 140 (historical statistics) · CEPII BACI trade database · government critical mineral lists. Figures are rounded; country names follow our atlas.

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Germanium storyWhere germanium is minedCritical mineral listsAll infographics