Belgium has approved a state guarantee to help cover advance payments for future germanium supplies from DR Congo. The pact backs a plant that, once at full capacity, could supply up to 15% of the world’s demand for the critical mineral, as Europe seeks to reduce its reliance on China. The guarantee would allow Umicore, a major Brussels-based refiner, to pay upfront for future germanium supplies under terms still being negotiated, while shifting part of the commercial risk to the Belgian state. A unit of DR Congo’s state miner Gécamines supplies Umicore from a plant capable of producing around 30 tonnes a year. It began commercial shipments in late 2024 and produced an estimated four to five tonnes of contained germanium last year.