Sam Rubin

CEO of LightPath Technologies (NASDAQ: LPTH).

[Sam Rubin @skrubin]

@Paramaz1932 @lightpathtech In an ideal world, systems have both Germanium and BlackDiamond lenses. Both have advantages and disadvantages, and they play well together.
In the non ideal world that we are in, BlackDiamond offers a solution to design systems without Germanium lenses in the systems.

[Sam Rubin @skrubin]

This week in Germanium news

If you build anything with infrared optics, semiconductors, or fiber, the last two weeks deserve your attention. A few things landed almost on top of each other:
𝟭. 𝗪𝗮𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘁𝗼𝗻 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗱 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗗𝗲𝗳𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗲 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗱𝘂𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗔𝗰𝘁 — 𝗼𝗻 𝘀𝗰𝗿𝗮𝗽. The July 30 determination gives Commerce authority over "recoverable" critical minerals: swarf, spent optics, waste streams containing germanium. When a government starts rationing the 𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘺𝘤𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨 stream, that's a supply signal, not a paperwork exercise.
𝟮. 𝗕𝗲𝗹𝗴𝗶𝘂𝗺 𝗽𝘂𝘁 𝗶𝘁𝘀 𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘀𝘂𝗿𝘆 𝗯𝗲𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗱 𝗮 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗴𝗼𝗹𝗲𝘀𝗲 𝗴𝗲𝗿𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗶𝘂𝗺 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗻𝘁. A state guarantee now backs Umicore's advance payments to Gécamines' STL unit, drawing germanium from the Big Hill slag heap in Lubumbashi. The headline everyone repeated: "up to 15% of global demand." The part worth reading twice — today that operation produces about 𝟰–𝟱 𝘁𝗼𝗻𝗻𝗲𝘀 𝗮 𝘆𝗲𝗮𝗿. Much of the industry assumed Congo would quietly solve the germanium problem. Four to five tonns doesn't solve it; it's the first rung of a very long ladder, and it took a sovereign backstop just to reach that.
𝟯. 𝗖𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗮 𝗶𝘀 𝗾𝘂𝗶𝗲𝘁𝗹𝘆 𝗯𝘂𝘆𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘂𝗽 𝗶𝘁𝘀 𝗼𝘄𝗻 𝗴𝗲𝗿𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗶𝘂𝗺. Reports point to state purchasing of domestic material at record levels. Read that plainly: the country that already produces ~60% of the world's germanium is now hoarding its own supply rather than letting it flow out.
Anyone treating germanium as a solved problem is reading last year's memo.

[Sam Rubin @skrubin]

@PDW_ai @DoWCTO @DeptofWar Congratulations! Rebuilding the domestic supply chain!

[Sam Rubin @skrubin]

@LilyFunds You assume it is not BlackDiamond

[Sam Rubin @skrubin]

You asked for it, you got it

[LightPath Technologies @lightpathtech]

Exciting news, LightPath community! 🎉

Our official swag store is now live, created for the people who make LightPath what it is. Investors, customers, and friends: this one's for you. 💡

🛍️ Explore the store: https://t.co/Ej3Sj2ACve

$LPTH #AdvancedManufacturing #DefenseTech

[LightPath Technologies @lightpathtech]

Exciting news, LightPath community! 🎉

Our official swag store is now live, created for the people who make LightPath what it is. Investors, customers, and friends: this one's for you. 💡

🛍️ Explore the store: https://t.co/Ej3Sj2ACve

$LPTH #AdvancedManufacturing #DefenseTech

[Sam Rubin @skrubin]

@BussinBiotech @fundmyfund In a different time zone

[Sam Rubin @skrubin]

@BlackScholesMan Right now, we (the US) can use all the interceptors we can get. The more the merrier

[Sam Rubin @skrubin]

@Niles09 Exactly

[Sam Rubin @skrubin]

Big signal for the domestic optics and materials supply chain today.
The new EO on defense supply chains isn’t just another “buy American” mandate — it’s forcing real change:
•Ends easy waivers (Jan 1, 2027) for using materials from adversarial nations in defense programs — no more kicking the can
•Any contractor that still wants an exception has to submit a hard deadline plan to actually get off that material
•Requires full bill-of-materials traceability, all the way back to raw material origin, across every supplier tier
•Directs DoD to build faster testing and qualification pathways for new materials and sources — and to strip out red tape slowing that down
•Failure to qualify an alternative source becomes grounds for contract termination
Translation: primes can no longer quietly rely on Chinese-sourced critical materials (germanium being a big one) and call it “no alternative available.” They now have a clock, a paper trail, and real consequences if they don’t move to qualified domestic or allied sources.
For companies that have already built domestic alternatives to these legacy materials, this is exactly the kind of policy tailwind that turns years of R&D into near-term demand. Worth watching how fast DoD stands up those new qualification pathways — that’s where the opportunity shows up first.

https://t.co/8W5e1wEeJM

[Sam Rubin @skrubin]

@kkernttb and get in trouble with the SEC? LOL. Blackout period.

[Sam Rubin @skrubin]

@BussinBiotech According to the announcement, this is for sustainment of existing system. Our program is a new system.

[Sam Rubin @skrubin]

Great catching up with Tim from @AlphaWolfTrding , discuss past, present and the very bright future for @lightpathtech

https://t.co/FWexhlJ8jS

[Sam Rubin @skrubin]

@OptimusDelta @lightpathtech @DIU_x Good stuff

[Sam Rubin @skrubin]

@fundmyfund Been busy growing the business. But I think I have one scheduled with Tim at alpha wolf

[Sam Rubin @skrubin]

This will be great

[DefenseScoop - @defensescoop.bsky.social @DefenseScoop]

The Army plans to ‘open up’ ranges for defense vendors to speed up testing, with some sites mimicking Ukrainian frontlines. Read more about it here:
https://t.co/p6w1ElFNS7

[Sam Rubin @skrubin]

Finally some progress?

https://t.co/jxj0nf2eKe

[Sam Rubin @skrubin]

@OptimusDelta Contact investor relations. I’m on vacation in Japan

[Sam Rubin @skrubin]

Lots of great opportunities ahead of us. Capital to continue fuelling our exponential growth and tap the great M&A opportunities we are seeing!
Exciting times, lots to do.

[LightPath Technologies @lightpathtech]

LightPath announces $100M registered direct primary and secondary offering.
Supporting continued investment in BlackDiamond™, our germanium replacement for infrared glass, and expanding next-generation optical and thermal imaging manufacturing. $LPTH
🔗 https://t.co/5RDmiOyhlG

[Sam Rubin @skrubin]

Time for a broad industrial base again.

https://t.co/5whQpFFUmO