Germanium is a crucial component in today’s electronics. From phones to infrared optical devices, a germanium wafer has a higher intrinsic carrier concentration compared to silicon, which provides improved electrical conductivity.
For that reason, this mineral has become highly sought after—especially in the U.S. While great efforts have been made to achieve self-sufficiency, the United States imports much of the germanium it consumes, be it in wafers or other applications, and here, we’ll explore who the main providers are.
Germanium is currently classified as a critical mineral in the U.S. It is also extracted as a byproduct from deposits in Alaska, Washington, and Tennessee.
Between 2015 and 2018, Belgium and China were the two main germanium providers in the U.S. While, as of 2019, the U.S. has reduced its reliance on imported germanium to 50%, it is still a large number.
The United States imports germanium for human consumption in the form of germanium metal and dioxide. Additionally, some germanium is recovered from fiber-optic cables and other scrap recycling during manufacturing.
A germanium wafer offers improved electrical conductivity, making this mineral crucial to today’s electronic devices. Because of that, it has been classified as a critical mineral in the U.S.
While there is no public information about Germanium production in America, as the importance of this mineral increases, we can expect self-sufficiency to grow. This could be very beneficial, resulting in lower prices and smooth supply chains. If you want to learn more about our germanium wafers, reach out!
