China on Thursday (August 15) announced that it will control the export of rare antimony metals, ores and oxides. The export control will be effective from September 15, 2024.
The world’s second-largest economy accounted for nearly half of total antimony production last year.
In an online statement on Thursday (August 15), the Chinese Ministry of Commerce and the General Administration of Customs said the move was set to safeguard national security, defend its interests and also fulfil its non-proliferation obligations.
“It is a common international practice to implement export controls on items related to antimony and superhard materials,” a spokesperson for the Chinese commerce ministry was quoted as saying by the South China Morning Post. The spokesperson added that the ban does not target any specific country or region and that exports would be permitted if they comply with regulations.
“We oppose any country or region using controlled items from China to engage in activities that harm China’s national sovereignty, security, and development interests,” the spokesperson said.
The latest ban comes on top of a ban already in place on exporting technology to extract and separate critical materials.
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Beijing tightened exports of some graphite products last December.
China also imposed restrictions on exports of gallium and germanium products widely used in the semiconductor industry from last August.
What is antimony used for?
Common applications of antimony metal include its use as a hardener in lead for storage batteries, in alloys with lead and tin to improve properties for solders and bullets, as well as in semiconductor devices.
Antimony trioxide is the most important of the antimony compounds which are primarily used in flame-retardant formulations.
The United States considers antimony a mineral critical to economic and national security, as per the US International Trade Commission.
(With inputs from agencies)
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