First “Made-in-DRC” germanium concentrates due for export to Umicore for high-tech applications
The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is about to export its first-ever locally-produced batch of qualitative germanium concentrates. The “Made in DRC” germanium concentrates originate from Big Hill tailings site and were recycled and processed at STL’s new hydrometallurgical plant - with Umicore’s technical support and knowhow.
This first batch is part of a gradual ramp-up of germanium that is treated by STL, subsidiary of Gécamines, inside the DRC and will be shipped to Umicore in Belgium for further processing and use in high-tech applications, such as fiber optics, solar cells and electronics.
This success was made possible through the excellent preparation of STL combined with refining and recycling expertise and support provided by Umicore, with which STL and Gécamines signed a technological and commercial partnership on May 8, 2024. The partnership aims to support the ramp-up of germanium that is recycled at STL’s hydrometallurgical plant in Lubumbashi and ensures the offtake of its production to Umicore. The flagship project fits with Umicore’s closed loop business model and will also contribute to developing the local economy with new jobs and new skills.
“The prompt output and first shipment is fruit of great cooperation through engagement and mutual respect between STL and Umicore teams. We are proud of this first step in setting up this sustainable germanium value chain and we look forward on the further ramp-up and development of the partnership.”
Geert Hennebel, VP Electro-Optic Materials at Umicore
Grant Dempsey, General Manager of STL, stated: “The partnership with Umicore is highly beneficial for STL, but I also believe it benefits Umicore by exposing them to different ways of working in a vastly different environment. Thanks to the support from Umicore’s on-site teams, as well as their human and industrial resources in Belgium, our personnel are rapidly gaining proficiency in various techniques related to germanium production. It’s essential to understand that their metals technology expertise is nearly unparalleled worldwide, especially concerning this highly specific metal. This partnership allows us to save valuable time. We are particularly pleased with this collaboration and are looking forward to the further steps in this project.”
Additionally, Guy Robert Lukama, President of Gécamines / STL, stated: "This inaugural shipment of germanium confirms our ambition, nurtured over several years, to make Congo a global hub for strategic metals. This applies not only to their extraction, which we are already partly involved in, but also to their local transformation in the future. With germanium production at STL, we become a significant player in the global production of this strategic metal, granting the DRC a major geostrategic position in its relations with partners.
