Battery Age Minerals Ltd (ASX:BM8) has confirmed the presence of Germanium-76 (Ge76), a critical isotope for semiconductor technologies, at its Bleiberg mine in Austria based on concentrate taken from the historic mine.

A historical sample showed GE-76 was present at an atom abundance of 7.41%, marking a pivotal development for Bleiberg as a project of strategic significance for the tech sector.

The latter is bolstered by the fact the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) in December 2024 identified Germanium to be one of only a dozen raw materials now “essential” for defence and energy security.

During its 700-year history, the Bleiberg mine has produced around 172 tonnes of germanium, amongst other critical minerals.

BM8 is looking ahead now to an extensive exploration program through the 2025 calendar year, with a maiden drilling permit to be submitted early on.

Battery Age CEO Nigel Broomham said he was pleased the company had pinned down this particular feature of Bleiberg.

“This is a significant milestone and further reinforces our belief in Bleiberg’s potential as a key supplier of critical materials for the rapidly growing semiconductor industry,” he said.

“Given the increasing demand for germanium and the recent supply chain challenges, thisconfirmation of potential quality comes at a crucial time.

“We are excited to continue advancing the Bleiberg project and look forward to sharing further results with the market in coming months.”

BM8 has been trading at 9 cents.

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