By Greek City Times Newsroom
METLEN Energy & Metals has achieved a major breakthrough toward Europe's independence from critical raw materials by successfully producing the first 5 kilograms of gallium at its industrial facilities in Greece.
Company founder and Executive Chairman Evangelos Mytilineos shared the achievement via social media, describing it as a historic step forward. The gallium was extracted as a by-product of bauxite processing using patented technology at the Aluminium of Greece plant in Viotia, central Greece.
While the initial output is modest, it validates the industrial-scale process and represents Europe's first domestic production of this vital rare metal—essential for semiconductors, electronics, LEDs, 5G technology, defense systems, and high-tech applications.
METLEN plans to ramp up output significantly: targeting 5-10 metric tons in 2026, with full-scale production reaching up to 50 metric tons per year from 2028 onward. This ambitious scale could cover a substantial portion—or even all—of Europe's gallium needs, reducing reliance on imports from China, which currently dominates over 98% of global supply.
The milestone builds on METLEN's €295.5 million investment program, launched in early 2025, to modernize bauxite mining, expand alumina production, and integrate gallium recovery. The project earned Strategic Project status under the European Union's Critical Raw Materials Act (CRMA) and secured €90 million in financing from the European Investment Bank (EIB) to accelerate development.
This initiative not only strengthens Europe's strategic autonomy in key minerals but also positions Greece as a leader in sustainable metallurgy and supply chain resilience. A recent Handelsblatt report highlighted METLEN's pivotal role in the EU's strategy to secure independent sources of gallium amid geopolitical supply risks.
METLEN emphasized that the success underscores Greece's growing importance in European industrial sovereignty, with more advancements expected soon. "More is coming—stay tuned," Mytilineos noted.
This development signals a new chapter for European metallurgy, turning a bauxite by-product into a strategic asset for the continent's technological future.
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