Antimony and multiple related products are set to join gallium, germanium, and graphite in China’s list of export-controlled goods, the Ministry of Commerce announced Thursday. The People’s Republic imposed restrictions on the three raw materials just over a year ago (we reported). Similar to the announcement in 2023, the move is justified on the grounds of national security, as the listed goods are considered dual-use, meaning they can be used for both civilian and military purposes. To ship antimony or antimony-related products abroad, export licenses will be required from 15 September. In the case of gallium and germanium, these took several weeks to process. Consequently, exports from China briefly fell to zero last year and are still recovering. Antimony is an alloy component used to harden other soft metals such as lead, copper, tin, and zinc. It is also used in the production of flame retardants.
Photo: vvoevale via Canva