Germanium (symbol Ge, atomic number 32) is a critical raw material that powers diverse technologies on Earth — and beyond. This semiconductor metal keeps the world connected, from its early applications in radar technology during World War II and the first transistor created at Bell Labs in 1947, to its use today in fiber optics and solar cells in satellites. Many modern electronics originate from germanium.
In the periodic table, germanium sits alongside carbon, silicon, tin and lead. It has a metallic sheen and crystalline structure. Germanium is a minor metal, which means that it is a byproduct of other minerals — primarily zinc and coal.
Umicore pioneered commercial-scale germanium refining and recycling at its historic Eagle-Picher plant in the United States in the late 1940s. Today, Umicore refines germanium in Belgium to high purity levels of up to 99.99999999999% for usage in highly demanding applications in the semiconductor, optics and space industries.
Germanium at a glance
Foundation of modern electronics
Germanium was central to the development of early transistors, laying the groundwork for telecommunications.
Infrared applications
Germanium is transparent to infrared light, making it a key material for night-vision optics and thermal imaging.
Role in space exploration
Germanium-based instruments helped NASA detect water on Mars, mapping hydrated minerals (1996) and confirming subsurface ice globally with gamma-ray detection (2001).
A byproduct with high value
Germanium is recovered in nature as a byproduct of zinc and coal mining. Its limited supply and specialised applications make it a strategic material in global technology markets.
