China limited the export of rare metals to the United States
| China produces about 90% of the purified rare earth elements in the world. This is a group of 17 elements used in the defense industry, the production of electric vehicles, clean energy and electronics. The United States imports most of its rare earth elements, the main part of them coming from China. |
Seven categories of medium and heavy rare earth elements, including Samarius, Gadolini, Terbi, Dysprose, Lutecium, Scandy and Irri Compounds, will be included in a list of export -controlled goods from April 4, the Chinese Ministry of Commerce said.
Economists sharply attacked Trump’s formula to calculate the « reciprocal » duties
This measure, which affects exports to all countries, not just to the United States, is another proof of China’s ability to use its dominance in the extraction and processing of critical minerals such as geopolitical weapons.
Beijing has already imposed a complete ban on the export of three metal to the United States and has introduced restrictions on many others.
According to the Mercator Institute for China Studies analyst, Jacob Gunter, the last solution is likely to speed up the West’s efforts to build alternative supply chains.
| « The more China uses this instrument, even if the US is mainly affected, the more European companies, governments and other countries will begin to think about the risks of imposing such restrictions on them, » Gunter commented. |
Beijing announced the control measures on Friday as part of a wider package of duties and restrictions on companies in response to President Trump’s decision to increase duties on most Chinese products to 54%.
According to the US Geological Service, about three quarters of the rare earth elements that the country imported from 2019-2022 have come from China.
Although the new restrictions do not reach a complete ban, Beijing can limit deliveries by reducing the number of export licenses issued. China did not export a gram of antimony to the European Union countries by March after imposing control over the export of this metal last September.
