Quantifying the relative availability of high-tech by-product metals – The cases of gallium, germanium and indium

Max Frenzel, Claire Mikolajczak, Markus A. Reuter and Jens Gutzmer

Resources Policy, 2017, vol. 52, issue C, 327-335

Abstract: There are considerable concerns about the supply security of certain high-tech elements produced as by-products. To determine in how far these concerns are justified by the actual availability of these elements, we compare the supply potentials for three particularly relevant examples – gallium, germanium and indium – to current and historic production volumes. Our assessment is based on detailed estimates of the amounts extractable from various raw materials given contemporary market prices and technologies. While the estimate for gallium is taken from a previous publication, the estimate for germanium is recalculated from an earlier estimate of recoverable germanium in reserves and resources, and the estimate for indium is compiled as part of this article.

Keywords: Scarcity; Critical raw materials; Indium; Companion metals; By-products; Supply potential (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2017
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (10)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:jrpoli:v:52:y:2017:i:c:p:327-335

DOI: 10.1016/j.resourpol.2017.04.008

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