China announced Tuesday that it's immediately implementing export controls on five key metals used for defense, clean energy and in several other industries in the U.S.
This announcement came minutes after President Donald Trump's additional 10% tariff on Chinese goods took effect. It's part of China's response to the tariffs, which also includes adding tariffs to U.S. imports like coal, crude oil and farm equipment.
After banning exports of gallium, germanium and antimony in December, China is now restricting exports of tungsten, tellurium, bismuth, molybdenum and indium by requiring licenses to export products related to the minerals.
What is tungsten and why is it important?
Tungsten is a very hard metal with the highest melting point of any metal at 6,192 degrees Fahrenheit. An estimated 60% of the tungsten consumed in the U.S. is used to make tungsten carbide, a highly durable material used in construction, metalworking, and oil and gas drilling.
China produced 80% of the world's tungsten in 2023. The material hasn't been mined commercially in the U.S. since 2015. A U.S. company called Guardian Metal Resources is now working on developing a domestic tungsten deposit in Nevada.
What is tellurium and why is it important?
Tellurium is a brittle, non-malleable metalloid and is one of the least common elements found on Earth, so it's usually made as a byproduct of copper refining. It's primarily used in solar panels, memory chips and thermoelectric devices.
China produced about 67% of the world's tellurium, excluding the United States' production. The U.S. has two electrolytic copper refineries that produce copper telluride, but they export it all for further processing.
What is bismuth and why is it important?
Bismuth is a heavy, brittle metal commonly used in cosmetic, industrial, laboratory and pharmaceutical applications like Pepto-Bismol and fire sprinkler systems.
China produced 80% of the world's bismuth. The metal hasn't been commercially refined in the U.S. since 1997.
What is molybdenum and why is it important?
Molybdenum is a transition metal known for its strength and high melting point of 4,754 degrees Fahrenheit. It's mostly used as an alloying agent in cast iron, steel and superalloys, but is also used in lubricants, catalysts and pigments.
China specifically targeted molybdenum powder in its announcement, which is used in missile production. China shipped 287 tons of the powder last year, about half of it to Japan, according to customs data analyzed by Reuters.
China produced about 42% of the world's molybdenum. The U.S. produced 12%.
What is indium and why is it important?
Indium is a malleable metal that rarely occurs naturally and is usually obtained as a byproduct of mining other metals like zinc, lead or tin. It is primarily used (in the form of indium tin oxide) to make phone and TV screens. It's also used to make indium phosphide (InP), which is used in 5G fiber-optic networks.
China produced about 66% of the world's indium. The U.S. didn't produce any in 2023.
CONTRIBUTING Reuters, U.S. Geological Survey