China to restrict exports of strategic metal antimony

China will restrict shipments of antimony for reasons of national security, the latest measure in Beijing’s drive to curb exports of strategic metals amid a spiraling trade war with the West. The protectionist measure will take effect on September 15.

The shiny gray metalloid’s biggest application is as a flame retardant, which accounted for around half of global usage in 2023, Reuters said citing brokerage CICC. Around 20% is used to make photovoltaic glass to improve the performance of solar cells, with the rest used in lead-acid batteries, the Reuters report said.

Antimony is also used in military equipment such as infrared missiles, nuclear weapons and night vision goggles, and as a hardening agent for bullets and tanks.

The Chinese Ministry of Commerce (MoC) and the General Administration of Customs said in a statement on Thursday (August 15) that companies need permission from the government to export antimony ore deposits, oxides and hydrides, indium antimonides and organo-antimony compounds and gold-antimony separation technology.

“It is an international practice to implement export controls on antimony, superhard materials and other related items,” a spokesperson for the MoC said in a statement.

The spokesperson said the export controls are not targeted at any specific country or region while exports complying with relevant regulations will be approved. He added that the move aims to safeguard national security and fulfill non-proliferation and other international obligations.

He said the Chinese government opposes any country or region using controlled items from China to engage in activities undermining China’s national sovereignty, security and development interests.

However, a Guangdong-based IT