China lifts export ban on gallium, germanium and antimony to US

China has lifted a nearly year-long ban on exports of gallium, germanium and antimony to the United States in a further de-escalation of trade tensions between the world’s two largest economies.

In a statement issued on Sunday, China’s commerce ministry said it will pause its export ban on these minerals and related end-use items for about one year. The ban was first imposed in December 2024 in retaliation for U.S. export controls on high-bandwidth memory chips into China towards the end of the Biden administration.

The U.S. considers all three minerals to be critical to its national security and economy. Gallium and germanium are both essential for semiconductors, with the former also used in advanced radar technology and the latter in infrared technology, fibre optic cables and solar cells. Antimony is widely used in military applications such as flame retardants and primers for ammunition.

Licences

The three metals remain subject to export licence requirements and restrictions on trade for military use. China began restricting exports of the three metals between August 2023 and September 2024 before focusing on the U.S. 

Reuters reported on Friday that China’s commerce ministry has begun designing a new rare earth licensing regime, which could speed up shipments. The agency cited sources suggesting they expect more details by year’s end, although controls introduced in April will likely remain.

In its statement, the Chinese commerce ministry said the suspension of its 2024 export curbs will last until Nov. 27, 2026, without providing further details.

Dominance

According to the consultancy Project Blue, China accounted for almost half of the world’s mined antimony in 2023, as well as nearly 60% of global refined germanium production and 99% of refined gallium output.

The U.S. Geological Survey estimated that the ban on gallium and germanium alone could result in a $3.4 billion hit to the US economy. Around half of the decrease would come from the semiconductor sector, a key battleground between China and the U.S.

The announcement comes just days after China agreed to suspend the additional export controls introduced in early October on rare earths and other battery minerals for one year.