China Tightens Its Grip On Antimony Exports, Alarming The U.S.

More than a year after China rattled the West by imposing export controls on gallium and germanium, two critical inputs in chipmaking, Beijing has flexed its muscles again this month by announcing curbs on another key, yet often overlooked, metal: antimony.

Antimony may seem like an obscure material, but it is vital in the defense industry, used in nuclear weapons, infrared missiles, and night-vision equipment.

Antimony may seem like an obscure material, but it is vital in the defense industry, used in nuclear weapons, infrared missiles, and night-vision equipment.

No country maintains as dominant a grip on the metal’s global trade as China, which accounts for about half of all production and 60% of US imports.

Beginning September 15, Beijing will require exporters to apply for a license for certain antimony products, as well as require permission for related smelting and separation technology exports, Christina Lu reported for Foreign Policy.

For Washington and its European partners, this latest move has only reinforced the importance of diversifying away from Chinese-dominated mineral supply chains.

Yet it has also underscored an uncomfortable reality: No matter how eager Western powers are to reduce their dependence on China, they will likely remain vulnerable to such measures in the immediate future, given the many challenges in securing alternative sources and the necessary financing.