US to impose 25pc tariffs on Chinese critical minerals

The US plans to impose 25pc tariffs on Chinese minerals including indium, tantalum, chromium, cobalt and tungsten, citing China's efforts to dominate global supply chains, according to the office of the US Trade Representative (USTR).

The USTR determined not to exclude any critical minerals from the proposed Section 301 tariffs. The USTR said the concentration of mining and refining capacity of these minerals in China, as well as China's effort to dominate the global supply chains for these minerals, endangers US national security and clean energy goals.

The Section 301 tariffs on indium, tantalum, chromium, cobalt, and tungsten will go into effect on 27 September. Tariffs on natural graphite and permanent magnets will go into effect on 1 January 2026.

China is the leading producer and exporter of indium, producing an estimated 650t in 2023, about 66pc of the global total, according to the US Geological Survey (USGS).The US imported 219 metric tonnes (t) of unwrought indium in 2023, including 10t from China. So far in 2024 the country has imported 148t, of which 45t originated in China, according to data from the US Commerce Department.

Indium is primarily used globally for its electric conductivity in a variety of screens including liquid crystal displays (LCDs) as well as fiber-optic cables and other technical components. US consumption is more focused around solders and specialty alloys.

The US imports more tantalum powders, alloys, and metals from China than any other country. The US imported 321t of unwrought tantalum in 2023, including 132t from China and has imported 269t between January and July 2024, including 178t from China.

Tantalum is primarily used in high-temperature alloys and capacitors. Although China accounted for only 3.3pc — 79t — of global 2023 mine production, the USGS estimated the country had a world-leading 240,000t of tantalum reserves.

Chromium is primarily used in stainless and heat-resistant steels. China is the world's largest producer of ferrochromium and stainless steel. The US imported 103,034t of chromium ores and concentrates in 2023, including just 10t from China. Still, the US did import 9,302t of unwrought chrome metal from China so far in 2024, which accounted for 74pc of total volumes, and US reliance on China for the metal has increased since sanctions forced Russian supplies off the table.

Although China does not mine a significant amount of cobalt, it is the world's leading cobalt refiner and consumer. The US imported 18t of cobalt ores and concentrates in 2023, including 11t from China, and imported 11t between January and July 2024, including 6t from China.

The US imported 1.6mn contained kilograms (ckg) of tungsten carbides in 2023, including 906,000ckg from China and imported 1mn ckg between January and July 2024, including 491,000ckg from China.

Tungsten is primarily used in carbide parts for construction, metalworking, mining, and drilling applications. Tungsten is also used in specialty steel fabrication as well as in electrodes, filaments, and wires for various electrical and electronic products.

By Cole Sullivan