Key raw material gallium featured on Galileo and in the FAZ
The media attention surrounding the export controls on gallium announced by China also has a positive side.
Those who had never heard of this technology metal before have now had the chance to learn about its fascinating capabilities. For example, a recently broadcast episode of the science program “Galileo” showed how gallium makes light-emitting diodes in various colors possible, improves computer chips, and effortlessly eats through a hard aluminum baseball bat.
However, Galileo has apparently forgotten one key aspect of this production-critical metal: Gallium is also a central commodity for the energy transition.
Gallium as a hydrogen producer
The program demonstrated very effectively that gallium reacts with aluminum. The aluminum baseball bat breaks exactly where the reporter had previously applied the gallium. However, this reactivity possesses incredible potential that was not mentioned in the program at all: combined with water, a 3:1 compound of aluminum and gallium can produce green hydrogen. And it does so completely without any external energy supply! This makes gallium a green energy metal.
Key raw material gallium arsenide
The compound gallium arsenide is indispensable for both the energy transition and the communications sector. It is contained in the latest generation of solar cells as well as in power amplifiers for the 5G and 6G cell phone networks. This makes gallium an irreplaceable commodity for the future.
Industry sounds the alarm
The shortage reports are piling up. Just today, an article triggered by the expected gallium shortage appeared in the FAZ: The Saxon semiconductor company Freiberger Compound Materials is being overwhelmed by orders. The company’s customers are trying to stockpile as much of the critical commodity gallium as possible in order to be prepared for the first of August, the deadline for export controls. From then on, they can expect long approval procedures for gallium shipments, which nobody knows whether the Chinese government will ever approve. Freiberger Compound Materials, the largest buyer of gallium in the world, also stores it itself. “We have reserves that will last us a few months, but not forever,” says CEO Michael Harz.
Every gram helps
To prepare for the first of August, we all need to work together. Private customers can also stockpile, professional commodity traders such as Noble BC make it possible. Our warehouse also still has good stocks of gallium, which could help the industry for a few months. Through us, private buyers have the opportunity to secure their investment goods with the latest technology and can look forward to attractive returns in addition to tax-free purchases and tax-free profits.
Watch the segment on Galileo here
Galileo – Lamps, screens, drones: The versatile element gallium
The element gallium has become indispensable in many areas of our lives. “Galileo” reporter Matthias Fiedler tested how versatile it is and what destructive power it possesses.