The critical metal germanium was discovered near the town of Molaoi, southern Greece the precious and base metal exploration company Rockfire Resources PLC announced on Monday.
The London-listed metal-exploration company said the presence of germanium was discovered during laboratory reanalysis of historical samples at the Molaoi zinc deposit in Greece.
Critical minerals are metals deemed vital for world economies to continue to provide technology. The supply of germanium is largely at risk due to geological scarcity.
Shares in Rockfire Resources PLC rose in early trading Tuesday after the announcement.
“This is an important discovery for the team at Molaoi. The economics and recovery of the germanium are yet to be determined, however, the grades returned from the laboratory in our resampling indicate the potential for valuable additional metals to be recovered in any future concentrate from Molaoi,” Chief Executive David Price said.