Doe Run Secures $4.08 Million U.S. Award to Demonstrate Domestic Germanium Processing

Highlights

• Doe Run Company received a $4.08 million U.S. Department of War cooperative agreement to demonstrate hydrometallurgical germanium recovery from existing zinc-bearing feedstocks.
• China dominates global germanium supply, and export restrictions drove European germanium prices from roughly $3,150/kg in January 2025 to $5,380/kg by October 2025.
• The award funds a demonstration program to prove repeatability, scalability and economics—not yet commercial-scale production.
• Germanium is critical for fiber optics, infrared optics, semiconductors, space solar cells and radiation detectors, making domestic supply a national security priority.
• Doe Run's existing Missouri mining infrastructure for lead, zinc and copper could accelerate the development timeline if byproduct recovery proves economical.