GERMANIUM (Data in kilograms of germanium content, unless noted) Domestic Production and Use: The value of domestic refinery production of germanium, based on the 1995 producer price, was approximately $13.8 million. Industry generated scrap, imported concentrates, and some processed residues from certain domestic ores were the feed materials for refined germanium production in 1995. The domestic industry consisted of three germanium refineries, one each in New York, Oklahoma, and Pennsylvania, and a mining operation in Tennessee. The company in Tennessee exported germanium-bearing residues generated from the production of zinc metal. The major end uses for germanium were fiber-optic systems, 40%; infrared optics, 15%; detectors, 10%; semiconductors (including transistors, diodes, and rectifiers), 5%; and other applications (catalysts, phosphors, metallurgy, and chemotherapy), 30%. Salient Statistics--United States: 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995e/ Production, refinerye/ 15,000 13,000 10,000 10,000 10,000 Total imports1/ 27,000 13,000 15,000 15,000 13,000 Exports NA NA NA NA NA Consumptione/ 33,000 33,000 29,000 25,000 25,000 Price, producer, yearend, dollars per kilogram: Zone refined 1,060 1,060 1,060 1,060 1,375 Dioxide, electronic grade 660 660 660 660 880 Stocks, producer, yearend NA NA NA NA NA Employment, plante/ 2/ 100 100 100 100 110 Net import reliance3/ as a percent of apparent consumption NA NA NA NA NA Recycling: More than 50% of the metal used during the manufacture of most electronic and optical devices is routinely recycled as new scrap. As a result of the low unit use of germanium in microelectronic devices, little germanium returns as old scrap. Import Sources (1991-94): United Kingdom, 16%; Belgium, 15%; Germany, 14%; China, 13%; and other,4/ 42%. Tariff: Item Number Most favored nation (MFN) Non-MFN5/ 12/31/95 12/31/95 Germanium oxides 2825.60.0000 3.7% ad val. 25% ad val. Waste and scrap 8112.30.3000 Free Free. Metal, unwrought 8112.30.6000 3.5% ad val. 25% ad val. Other 8112.30.9000 5.3% ad val. 45% ad val. Depletion Allowance: 14% (Domestic), 14% (Foreign). Government Stockpile: Stockpile Status--9-30-95 Uncommitted Committed Authorized Disposals Material inventory inventory for disposal Jan.-Sept. 95 Germanium 68,207 -- 7 -- Prepared by Errol D. Sehnke, (703) 648-4981. GERMANIUM Events, Trends, and Issues: The monthly average free market price for minimum 99.99% germanium dioxide, published by Metal Bulletin (London), began to increase rapidly in February 1995 and reached the range of $850 to $950 per kilogram in August; it began to soften somewhat in September. Improved worldwide demand for the fiber optics sector and continued concern over supplies from the republics of the Former Soviet Union led to a very tight world supply of germanium materials in 1995. In the near term, it is expected that this shortfall in supply will be moderated by increased production from North American sources and increased shipments from China. It is currently projected that fiber optics will provide the principal market for germanium well into the next century. Germanium has little or no effect upon the environment because it usually occurs only as a trace element in ores and carbonaceous materials and is used in very small quantities in commercial applications. World Refinery Production, Reserves, and Reserve Base: Refinery production Reserves6/ Reserve base6/ 1994 1995e/ United States 10,000 10,000 450,000 500,000 Other countries 40,000 35,000 NA NA World total 50,000 45,000 NA NA World Resources: The available resources of germanium are associated with some zinc and lead-zinc-copper sulfide ores. Potential worldwide germanium resources would increase substantially if germanium were to be recovered from ash and flue dusts resulting from burning certain coals for power generation. Substitutes: Less expensive silicon can be substituted for germanium in certain electronic applications. Certain bimetallic compounds of gallium, indium, selenium, and tellurium can also be substituted for germanium. Germanium is more reliable in some high-frequency and high-power applications and more economical as a substrate for some light-emitting diode applications. In infrared guidance systems, zinc selenide or germanium glass substitute for germanium metal, but at the expense of performance. e/Estimated. NA Not available. 1/Does not include imports of germanium dioxide and other germanium compounds for which data are not available. 2/Employment related to primary germanium refining is indirectly related to zinc refining. 3/Defined as imports - exports + adjustments for Government and industry stock changes. 4/Total imports from republics of the Former Soviet Union (Estonia, Russia, and Ukraine) account for 23% of the 1991-94 imports. 5/See Appendix B. 6/See Appendix C for definitions. Mineral Commodity Summaries, January 1996