China bans export of key minerals to U.S. as trade frictions escalate

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: Yahoo! Finance/Reuters

Updated Tue, December 3, 2024 at 7:36 AM EST


(Reuters) — 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.

Read more: https://finance.yahoo.com/news/china-bans-exports-gallium-germanium-082140769.html

[Vogon_Glory]

1. Those dour black-suited guys in Beijing may not have

the sartorial flash that the old emperors did, but they certainly understand power politics well enough.

Certainly better than Donald John and his flock of ignoramuses, loudmouths and grifters.

[wolfie001]

2. Aren't these minerals just as plentiful here and we just have to ruin the environment to get at them?

That's how I understand this dilemma. Technology just needs to move along. Best of luck to us with that fat, orange ignoramus returning.

[Vogon_Glory]

4. I'm not so sure that they are.

The Chinese are fortunate to have accessible deposits and ways to extract them in the here-and-now. Even if there are deposits for some (I said some, not all) here in the US, that doesn’t mean that there are mines and refineries for those up and running here in the US in the here-and-now.

There are some deposits elsewhere in the world. South America comes to mind. That doesn’t mean that they’re going to be cheap or accessible.

There’s also supposed to be some rare-earth deposits in Afghanistan. I suspect that those are going to be off-limits to the US for a long, long time.

[drray23]

6. No they are not.

The same is true for minerals that are implicated in making batteries for EV vehicles. China has by far, the most of these resources.

[Arne]

3. I've heard the new plan is to get our minerals from the Martians

when we go.

[turbinetree]

5. Did anyone ever think as to why China is in Africa or Afghanistan...........the minerals

just a thought................

[ancianita]

7. Germany has gallium; Finland has germanium; Turkey has antimony -- NATO allies.

According to the U.N.'s World Food Program, the U.S. is a main food exporter, while China's food sufficiently is below 66%. Seems logical that we might be able to trade critical food for critical minerals.

Could be a win-win, since trade tensions can work both ways.

[jmowreader]

8. Gallium is going to hurt

It is used to make light-emitting diodes and the amplifying transistors used in satellite communication equipment and the newest wireless communication devices.