Metlen to produce Gallium in Greece with € 90 million EIB Support

Greece is set to host Europe’s first industrial-scale gallium production facility, as Metlen Energy & Metals moves forward with a major new project. Metlen has already begun producing gallium, with the first 5 kilos manufactured at its new facility.

The initiative builds on recent financing from the European Investment Bank (EIB), which approved € 90 million to support strategic investments in both bauxite mining modernisation and gallium production capacity in the region.

The new gallium unit will be developed at Metlen’s alumina and aluminium facilities in Agios Nikolaos, Viotia, and forms part of broader efforts to strengthen the European Union’s autonomy in critical materials. Metlen aims to scale production to around 50 tonnes of gallium annually by 2028, a volume expected to be sufficient to meet most of Europe’s demand for the material.

Gallium is a critical raw material used in advanced technologies such as semiconductors, clean-energy applications and digital infrastructure. While prices can vary by purity and market, gallium currently trades in the region for $1,750 per kilogram.

The project aligns with the EU’s strategic goals under the European Critical Raw Materials Act and the EIB’s REPowerEU framework, aiming to reduce dependence on imports and reinforce industrial resilience. Implementation is expected to contribute to job creation and more sustainable industrial practices.

Metlen’s move into gallium production also builds on its wider integrated investment strategy covering bauxite, alumina and gallium, with long-term plans to scale up output to meet European demand and support the continent’s technological and energy transition.

Source:

EIB backs Europe’s first gallium production investment with €90 million financing to METLEN in Greece  15 January 2026

METLEN: The first production of gallium has already begun – The first 5 kilos 18 January 2026