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US bans exports of tungsten scrap and battery black mass
The order requires suppliers to offer 100.0% of monthly tungsten scrap and battery black mass output to US buyers and keep the materials inside the country, adding new pressure to Chinese refiners.
Washington has barred exports of tungsten scrap and lithium-ion battery black mass, the shredded residue that can be processed to recover materials such as lithium, nickel, and cobalt, SCMP Economy reports. The move is aimed at keeping these inputs available in the United States rather than allowing them to flow abroad.
The year-long directive requires suppliers to offer 100.0% of their monthly output of tungsten scrap and black mass to US buyers and to keep the materials within the country, according to SCMP Economy. Tungsten is used across industries including semiconductors, artificial intelligence chips, aerospace equipment, and weapons.
Analysts cited by SCMP Economy warn the restrictions will deprive Chinese refiners of what they view as a lower-cost feedstock source. They also say Beijing could respond by seeking alternative supplies, accelerating domestic recycling, and using export controls on rare earths and magnets as leverage.
SCMP Economy adds that the order follows China’s export controls on tungsten products introduced in February 2025 and its licensing requirements for exporters. The US action is described as Washington’s latest step to strengthen its strategic resource pipeline.