The first gallium production has already begun
The first production of gallium by METLEN is a fact.
As Evangelos Mytilineos, Executive Chairman of METLEN, emphasized in a related post on linkedin, “we are proud to share a milestone for Europe’s critical raw materials: our team has already produced the first 5 kg of gallium in our facilities. It may sound small, but with gallium currently valued at 1,750 dollars/kg, it is not insignificant at all. But the most important thing is that our patented technology has been successfully tested not in the laboratory, but in our industrial production!”
Mytilineos, in his post, warmly welcomed the 90-million-dollar financing that METLEN received from the EIB, which, as he explained, “truly understands the strategic importance of this investment and stands close to entrepreneurship, helping to transform plans into real production. Thanks to this support, the project is progressing within budget and ahead of schedule.”
According to the group’s Executive Chairman, “the plant is expected to continue to ramp up its operations in 2026 and the first 5-10 metric tons are expected to be available in 2027. Full-scale production of almost all of Europe’s needs (50 metric tons per year) is expected in 2028! He added that “more is coming — stay tuned! Greek industrial innovation at its best!”
According to metal market analysts, the price of gallium has increased by 19.61% since the beginning of the new year (1/1/2026) and 119.07% compared to the beginning of 2025 (1/1/2025). Compared to 2021 (5 years) its price has increased by 387.44% and if compared to previous years, for example in 2018 the increase in its price amounts to 650.96%.
METLEN is expected to become a key industrial pillar of Europe’s autonomy for critical mineral raw materials, through its investment plan of 295.5 million euros to strengthen its metallurgy in Boeotia. The company aims for a total annual production of 2 million tons of bauxite, 1.25 million tons of alumina from 865,000 tons today, while Greece will be ranked among the 12 largest alumina producers in the world. At the same time, gallium, one of the components of bauxite, which will be produced for the first time in the history of the industry in the region with a production target of 50 Measurable Tons, is expected to meet Europe’s strategic need to strengthen its strategic autonomy.
