METLEN founder and CEO Evangelos Mytilineos announced in a social media post that the company had produced five kilograms of gallium, a landmark development, as the by-product of bauxite is considered a key component in semiconductors and electronics.

Although the volume is small, it is considered the first step in the large-scale production of the rare mineral. The success was achieved through a patented technology tested by the historic “Aluminium of Greece” plant in central Greece.

The factory, located in Viotia, aims to increase production to 5-10 metric tons of gallium in 2026.

Since last March, METLEN, one of Greece’s leading energy and metals companies, has invested approximately €295.5 million in a major expansion of its bauxite, alumina, and gallium production facilities in Greece.

METLEN’s landmark investment was officially recognized as a Strategic Project by the European Commission under the Critical Raw Materials Act (CRMA), with the investment also securing an additional €50 million from the European Investment Bank to achieve 50 tons of the rare mineral from 2028 onward.

The company highlights that this recognition marks a significant milestone for European metallurgy and Greece‘s mining activities, as it is the only project that crucially enhances Europe’s strategic autonomy in bauxite, alumina (and aluminum), and gallium—all recognized as “critical raw materials.”

A recent article by Handelsblatt focuses on the pivotal role METLEN plays in the European strategy for critical raw materials, highlighting the start of industrial production in Greece.

According to the report, METLEN is implementing a large investment to increase bauxite and alumina production and to recover gallium, a material of vital importance for technology, defense, and the semiconductor industry, at a time when more than 98% of global production is controlled by China.