Metlen Energy & Metals Begins Shipping First Standardized Gallium Packages

Evangelos Mytilineos, Chairman and CEO of Metlen Energy & Metals (formerly Mytilineos), has announced a key milestone in the company's gallium production project at its facilities in Aspra Spitia, Boeotia (Viotia), Greece.

In a recent LinkedIn post, Mytilineos shared that during the company's monthly three-day management meeting at the central industrial complex in Aspra Spitia, Paralia Distomo, the team unveiled the first standardized 500-gram package of gallium. This marks the successful production of high-purity, standardized gallium quantities as part of the ongoing program.

He noted that shipments of these packages to interested buyers in the United States, Europe, and Japan are set to begin soon. These initial deliveries will allow recipients to conduct testing and evaluation of the material.

Mytilineos emphasized that the emblematic gallium initiative — which positions Greece and Europe on the global map for Critical Raw Materials (CRM) — is advancing rapidly and is already ahead of the original schedule.

Gallium, a critical metal essential for semiconductors, electronics, LEDs, 5G technology, and the green/digital transitions, is extracted as a by-product of bauxite processing at Metlen's Aluminium of Greece plant. The broader project, backed by significant investments (including €295.5–300 million overall and €90 million in EIB financing), aims to establish Europe's first industrial-scale gallium production, reducing reliance on dominant external suppliers (primarily China).

Earlier announcements from Mytilineos and Metlen highlighted the initial pilot production of around 5 kg of gallium in late January 2026, with plans to ramp up to 5–10 metric tons in the coming period and potentially reach capacities to meet a large portion (or even all) of Europe's annual demand by 2028.

Mytilineos concluded by stating he will continue updating friends, partners, and stakeholders on this exciting new venture for Metlen. This development underscores Greece's growing role in securing Europe's strategic autonomy in critical minerals.