Germanium price
Germanium is a grey-white metalloid sold as metal ingots (usually 99.999%) and as germanium dioxide. China is the leading producer and exporter. Prices more than doubled in 2025 after China stopped exports to the United States, and rose again through 2026: Chinese ingot reached a new high of 28,500 yuan/kg (about $4,300/kg) in October 2026.
By RareMetals.net Editorial Team · Prices checked
Current germanium price
- China, Oct 26, 2026
- about $4,320/kg
- China domestic ingot, 28,500 yuan/kg (SMM)
- Outside China, April 2026
- $8,000-10,000/kg
- Rotterdam, 99.999% (Fastmarkets, April 2026); retail offers in late October were about $10,000-12,000/kg
Sources: SMM germanium weekly review, Oct 2026; Geopolitical Futures (citing Fastmarkets Rotterdam), Oct 2026. Minor-metal and rare earth markets are thin and assessments differ by provider, so ranges are shown. Yuan prices converted at 6.6 yuan per US dollar.
Last supplier list price on file: $5,730.40/kg (Metal (ingots), ingots, Ge min. 99.999%; TRADIUM, ). This list is out of date and is shown for reference only.
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Germanium price history, 2021-2025 (USGS)
Annual averages from the U.S. Geological Survey, the latest official series. They show the trend up to 2025; compare them with the current prices above.
| Year | Germanium metal, annual average | Germanium dioxide |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | $1,187 | $770 |
| 2022 | $1,294 | $828 |
| 2023 | $1,392 | $883 |
| 2024 | $1,991 | $1,281 |
| 2025e | $4,100 | $2,500 |
Source: U.S. Geological Survey, Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026.
What moves the germanium price?
China’s export controls
China introduced export licences for germanium in August 2023 and banned exports to the United States in December 2024. China’s reported germanium metal exports for January-September 2025 fell to 7,520 kg, from 36,656 kg in the same period of 2023 (USGS). In November 2025 China suspended the US ban until 27 November 2026; licences are still required. Chinese germanium exports in September 2026 were about 570 kg, down roughly 80% from August (customs data reviewed by TRADIUM).
Fibre optics and infrared optics
Germanium tetrachloride is used to make optical fibre; germanium metal is made into lenses and windows for thermal cameras and military night vision.
Space solar cells
Germanium wafers are the substrate for the multijunction solar cells on most satellites.
By-product supply
Germanium comes from zinc concentrates and some coal ashes. Output depends on zinc smelting and on a few refiners in China, Belgium, Canada, Germany, Russia and the US.
Where germanium comes from
Global germanium production is not reliably reported. China is the leading producer; germanium is also refined or recycled in Belgium, Canada, Germany, Russia and the United States, and germanium-rich deposits are being developed in Congo (Kinshasa) and the US (USGS).
Germanium price FAQ
How much is germanium worth per kg?
The current price is about $4,320/kg in China (Oct 26, 2026) and $8,000-10,000/kg outside China (April 2026). The USGS 2025 averages were about $4,100/kg for germanium metal and $2,500/kg for germanium dioxide; Fastmarkets assessed Rotterdam metal at $8,000-10,000/kg in April 2026.
How much is germanium per gram?
About $4.30 per gram inside China (October 2026) and about $8-10 per gram in Rotterdam (April 2026). Small retail samples cost much more per gram.
Why did germanium prices rise?
China, the largest producer, required export licences from August 2023 and banned exports to the United States from December 2024. Buyers outside China competed for less material: prices roughly doubled in 2025 and kept rising in 2026.
What is germanium used for?
Fibre-optic cable, infrared lenses and windows, substrates for satellite solar cells, radiation detectors and some semiconductors.
Related prices
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