METLEN has entered into a long-term commercial agreement to supply around 25% of the annual gallium output from its planned facility in Greece to a US technology company.

The terms of the deal remain confidential.

This constitutes the first such major commercial supply agreement between a European gallium producer and a US-based technology operator.

The company said that the arrangement supports Europe’s aim to bolster the resilience of its critical raw materials supply chain.

Gallium, a material essential for applications in AI, advanced renewable energy infrastructure, telecommunications and defence, is primarily produced in a small number of locations worldwide.

The concentration of production has driven interest in diversification and more secure supply sources for industries in Europe and globally.

METLEN executive chairman Evangelos Mytilineos said: “We are particularly proud that METLEN is pioneering a completely new industrial chapter for both Greece and Europe; the successful development of gallium production carried out by our teams at Aluminium of Greece.

“For the first time in METLEN’s history, one of our metallurgical products has attracted such strong interest from leading industrial economies worldwide.

“This reflects both the strategic importance of gallium and the confidence of global technology leaders in the quality and reliability of our material, which has already undergone extensive qualification testing.”

METLEN is said to be the first company in Europe to set up integrated gallium production and finalise a commercial supply agreement for gallium produced on the continent.

The European Commission has classified the company’s main gallium production investment as a Strategic Project under the Critical Raw Materials Act.

The European Investment Bank has also approved funding for the project through the REPowerEU framework, citing its strategic relevance.