China To Limit Export Of Another Critical Mineral

The trade war between China and the West led by the United States, continues as Beijing says it will impose export restrictions on another critical metal.

Reuters reported that China’s commerce ministry said on Thursday that it will impose export limits on antimony and related elements in the name of national security.

Antimony is listed as a mineral critical to US economic and national security by the US Department of Interior – a categorisation similar to rare earth elements cobalt, and uranium.

National security

According to the Reuters report, China accounted last year for 48 percent of global mined output of antimony.

Antimony is also produced (in smaller quantities) in Russia and the former Soviet republic of Tajikistan.

Russia is obviously no friend of the West, but Tajikistan has participated in a number of exercises with NATO and has previously worked with the defence organisation on a number of security matters.

Reuters noted that antimony is a strategic metal used in military applications such as ammunition, infrared missiles, nuclear weapons and night vision goggles, as well as in batteries and photovoltaic equipment.

Experts have suggested that export limits will impact US, UK and European armed forces.

The restrictions are being imposed “in order to safeguard national security and interests, and fulfill international obligations such as non-proliferation”, China’s Commerce ministry was quoted as saying in a statement.

At a regular weekly briefing on Thursday, the ministry reportedly said the curbs were not directed at any specific country or region.

Reuters reported that China’s export limits will begin on 15 September, and will apply to six kinds of antimony-related products, including antimony ore, antimony metals and antimony oxide.

The rules also ban the export of gold-antimony smelting and separation technology without permission, Reuters reported.

Chinese exporters of affected products must apply for export licenses for dual-use items and technologies – those with potential military as well as civil applications – China’s Commerce ministry reported said.

Trade war

The move to restrict the supply of antimony is one of the latest developments in the ongoing trade war, as the West and other nations seek to ease their reliance on China for key materials.

In July 2023 China abruptly ordered export restrictions on two elements (gallium and germanium) critical for manufacturing semiconductors and communications equipment, following US-led moves to prevent Beijing from advancing its own chipmaking industry.

Shortly after that a former Chinese commerce minister and trade policy adviser warned that Beijing’s retaliation was just a start in the dispute.

In December China also banned the export of technology to make rare earth magnets.

China’s moves makes the discovery in January this year by the Swedish mining company LKAB of the largest rare earth deposit in Europe increasingly important.

The Reuters report concluded with the observation that while China is the biggest supplier of refined antimony, it is a net importer of concentrates and depends on ore from countries including Thailand, Myanmar and Russia.