Posted on 12/03/2024 8:26:13 AM PST by george76
China has banned exports to the United States of items related to the minerals gallium, germanium and antimony that have potential military applications, it said on Tuesday, a day after Washington’s latest crackdown on China’s chip sector..
A commerce ministry directive on dual-use items with both military and civilian applications cited national security concerns. The order, which takes immediate effect, also requires stricter review of end-usage for graphite items shipped to the U.S..
“In principle, the export of gallium, germanium, antimony, and superhard materials to the United States shall not be permitted,” the commerce ministry said.
The curbs strengthen enforcement of existing limits on exports of the critical minerals that Beijing began rolling out last year, but apply only to the U.S. market, in the latest escalation of trade tensions between the world’s two largest economies ahead of President-elect Donald Trump taking office.
Chinese customs data show there have been no shipments of wrought and unwrought germanium or gallium to the U.S. this year through October, although it was the fourth and fifth-largest market for the minerals, respectively, a year earlier.
Gallium and germanium are used in semiconductors, while germanium is also used in infrared technology, fibre optic cables and solar cells.
Similarly, China’s overall October shipments of antimony products plunged by 97% from September after Beijing’s move to limit its exports took effect.
China accounted last year for 48% of globally mined antimony, which is used in ammunition, infrared missiles, nuclear weapons and night-vision goggles, as well as in batteries and photovoltaic equipment.
This year, China has accounted for 59.2% of refined germanium output and 98.8% of refined gallium production, according to consultancy Project Blue.
“The move is a considerable escalation of tensions in supply chains where access to raw material units is already tight in the West,” said Project Blue co-founder Jack Bedder.
Prices of antimony trioxide in Rotterdam had soared by 228% since the beginning of the year to $39,000 a metric ton on Nov. 28, data from information provider Argus showed.
“Everyone will dig in their backyard to find antimony. Many countries will try to find antimony deposits,” said a minor metals trader in Europe, declining to be named.
China’s announcement comes after Washington launched its third crackdown in three years on China’s semiconductor industry on Monday, curbing exports to 140 companies, including chip equipment maker Naura Technology Group.
Trump, whose first White House term was marked by a bitter trade war with China, has said he will implement 10% tariffs on Chinese goods and threatened 60% tariffs on Chinese imports during his presidential campaign.
“It comes as no surprise that China has responded to the increasing restrictions by American authorities, current and imminent, with its own restrictions on the supply of these strategic minerals,” said Peter Arkell, chairman of the Global Mining Association of China.
“It’s a trade war that has no winners,” he said.
Separately, several Chinese industry groups called on Tuesday for their members to buy domestically made semiconductors, with one saying U.S. chips were no longer safe and reliable.
Don’t blame them. It’s prudent, to not want to supply your enemy.
We should respond in kind.
The US shouldn’t import from there any way.
If only the U.S. had rare earth minerals ....
Of course we do, but we have to bulldoze the democrats out of the way to access them.
Much of it is recovered from scrap electronics that are sent to China for recycling.
Most important materials for industrial applications are steel, copper, silver, titanium, etc. We have plenty of all of those. And we are blessed with more oil & coal in North American than any other place.
If China wants to restrict Lithium export, fine with me, I love my ICE car.
A lot of globalist propaganda and brainwashing going on. We have been in trade war with the world since 1990. Fighting back is not "starting" a war that is already been in progress for a long, long time.
Substitutes will be found. They always have. There will also be an incentive to find and mine them here.
Not any more, China has been refusing such shipments. Now they’re being dumped in Africa.
Not if the Dims have their way.
Lithium is needed for batteries in modern electronics absolutely needed on the modern battlefield, as well as for drones.
One immediately wonders how many of these minerals are locked up in “National Monuments.”
Additionally, we need those materials for military as well as consumer electronics. We need to find other sources and start undoing the regulations banning mining them in the US.
The US has large recently discovered reserves of Lithium. We can produce what we need.
But Electric Cars are not a solution to anything.
The DingBats in DC, should to see right through the Green Lie. I think they do, but are using this on the useful idiots to put them in power and keep them there.
Totalitarianism in all forms is EVIL. All Fail.
#Freedom_Works, but DC currently does not.
We had battery powered gadgets long before lithium batteries which explode regularly. My watch still runs on 20 year old batteries.
“We have been in trade war with the world since 1990.”
Longer than that. At least since the 1960’s. The VW Beetle was the leader, then Japan wiped out our small electronics and motorcycle manufacturers and finally graduated to steel and automobiles. We should have stopped it back then.
you are more intelligent than most others.
Lithium batteries provide the life and light weight that a lot of *military* electronics need. Most modern infantry devices do not work well enough on older battery types, if at all, for example.
Lithium in a military context has little to do with electric cars and everything to do with drones, missiles, projectiles, comms, lights, night vision, etc.
China isn’t the sole source for these minerals.................
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