METLEN Energy & Metals to Invest €295.5 Million in Critical Materials Production in Greece
METLEN Energy & Metals has announced a €295.5 million investment to develop an integrated production line for bauxite, alumina, and gallium in Agios Nikolaos, Boeotia, at the "Aluminium of Greece" factory. The project aims to increase annual production to 2 million tons of bauxite, 1,265,000 tons of alumina (up from 865,000 tons), and 50 MT of gallium—a first for the company. All three materials are listed as Critical Raw Materials by the EU, CE Report quotes Athens-Macedonian
The investment includes:
- Expanding bauxite mining and alumina production,
- Developing gallium production infrastructure,
- Upgrading energy supply, port facilities, and road infrastructure.
METLEN CEO Evangelos Mytilineos highlighted the investment’s role in bolstering Europe's self-sufficiency in critical materials and reducing reliance on external suppliers. Gallium, essential for technologies like LEDs, IT systems, and permanent magnets, is primarily produced in China, which imposed export restrictions in July 2023. METLEN's project aims to restore European gallium imports and enhance strategic autonomy.
The investment will integrate environmentally friendly technologies to reduce carbon emissions, supported by METLEN's energy sector synergies for sustainable energy costs. The initiative recently received the European Commission's STEP SEAL for its contribution to EU critical materials autonomy. Production is scheduled to begin in 2026 for bauxite, with alumina and gallium operations phased in by 2028.
