Chinese Ban on Crucial Materials Needed for Ammunition, and Military Tech

On December 3, 2024, China announced that it is banning exports of key minerals—gallium, germanium, and antimony—to the United States. These minerals are crucial for military and technology applications. The move escalates trade tensions between the two largest economies in the world, just after the U.S. introduced stricter rules on China’s semiconductor industry.

Gallium and germanium are important for semiconductors, fiber optics, and solar cells, while antimony is a key component in ammunition and weapons. It is used to make bullets, grenades, and other projectiles more effective by alloying it with lead, which hardens the metal. Antimony is also essential in infrared missiles, night vision goggles, and other military equipment. China controls most of the global supply of these materials, and this restriction is seen as a direct response to the U.S.'s recent crackdown on Chinese technology.

China’s ban on these minerals, which took effect immediately, is a national security measure. It also imposes stricter checks on graphite exports to the U.S., a key material for electric vehicle batteries. These actions have raised fears that China might restrict more critical minerals like nickel or cobalt in the future.

This ban is part of a broader pattern of escalating trade disputes between the U.S. and China. For example, antimony, which is heavily used in military equipment like bullets and infrared technology, saw a huge price spike following China’s move.

Many experts believe this trade war is further straining supply chains in the West, where the U.S. relies on imports of such minerals. Companies in the U.S. are urging for greater efforts to develop domestic sources of these critical materials, particularly antimony, which is key for military applications.

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