US firms bypass China’s mineral export ban
(MENAFN) American firms are reportedly circumventing China’s export restrictions on critical minerals by routing shipments through other nations, according to a recent Reuters report.
In December, Beijing imposed a ban on exporting antimony, gallium, and germanium to the United States as retaliation for Washington’s measures targeting China’s semiconductor industry amid an ongoing trade dispute.
This ban has disrupted vital sectors of the US economy, including technology, defense, and renewable energy, all of which depend heavily on these minerals.
To maintain supply, US buyers have increasingly used transshipment routes involving countries such as Thailand and Mexico. Customs data reviewed by Reuters revealed a sharp rise in antimony oxide imports from these countries between December and April, with volumes surpassing the combined totals of the previous three years.
Chinese export data confirms that Thailand and Mexico became among the top three recipients of China’s antimony shipments in 2025, despite neither appearing in the top ten destinations in 2023, before the ban.
Industry insiders verified Reuters’ findings, with two US company executives confirming they recently procured China-origin minerals through intermediaries.
China has historically dominated the supply of these minerals. Before the ban, it accounted for approximately 72% of US antimony imports, 19% of gallium, and 12% of germanium.
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