U.S. Imports of Germanium

How has China’s export ban on germanium impacted U.S. imports? Check out Silverado’s latest data dashboard and key findings to find out!

U.S. Trade Flows for Germanium Metal Shifted After China’s Export Ban

• U.S. imports of germanium metal increased significantly from 2019 to 2023 and remained high in 2024, with Germany and Belgium supplying a larger share of U.S. imports.
• However, Silverado’s trade data shows that U.S. germanium metal imports in the most recent three month period (May to July 2025) were 76 percent lower than in the same period in 2024 when only export licensing requirements were in place.

The Integrated U.S.-Canadian Supply Chain Provides a Reliable Source of Supply for Germanium Dioxide. Europe Remains a Key Supplier of Other Products

• Canada continues to ship germanium dioxide to the U.S. market (which is subject to China’s export ban) including germanium that is mined in Alaska and refined in Canada.
• European producers continue to supply other germanium products to the U.S. market, such as germanium tetrachloride (which is banned from China) and germanium oxides and germanium fluoride (which are not subject to export controls). However, sufficient data are not yet available to assess the level of imports in comparison to 2024.
• China continues to supply the U.S. market with some germanium products, such as germanium oxides (which are not subject to the export ban).