What Are Gallium and Germanium? The Niche Metals Hit by China’s Export Ban

Two obscure yet crucial metals, gallium and germanium, are the latest pawns in the escalating US-China trade war. On Dec. 3, China announced an export ban on both metals to the US in a tit-for-tat move after President Joe Biden’s administration implemented its own new technology curbs on the country. Beijing had already placed initial controls on exports of the materials last year, driving prices higher and upending trade flows.

Both silvery-white in appearance and commonly classified as “minor metals,” gallium and germanium aren’t typically found on their own in nature. Instead, they’re produced in small concentrations as a byproduct from refineries focused on other, more mainstream raw materials such as zinc or alumina.