China Opens the Critical Mineral Tap, but Keeps Its Hand Firmly on the Valve
China Hits Pause on Its Critical Mineral Weapon — But the U.S. Knows the Game Isn’t Over
In a move as calculated as it is timely, China has suspended its nearly year-long export ban on gallium, germanium, and antimony to the United States, offering a one-year breathing room until November 27, 2026, in what appears to be a coordinated de-escalation of trade tensions between the world’s two largest economies. Announced by China’s commerce ministry on Sunday, November 9, 2025, this pause follows a similar suspension of controls on rare earths and battery minerals just days earlier, signaling Beijing’s willingness to dial back retaliation amid shifting geopolitical winds.
The original ban, imposed in December 2024, was a direct response to U.S. export controls on high-bandwidth memory chips during the final stretch of the Biden administration. These three minerals are not mere commodities, they are linchpins of modern technology and national security. Gallium drives semiconductors and advanced radar systems, germanium powers infrared technology, fiber optic networks, and solar cells, while antimony is essential in flame retardants and ammunition primers. China’s dominance is overwhelming: it controls 99% of global refined gallium output, nearly 60% of refined germanium, and about half of mined antimony, according to 2023 data from consultancy Project Blue.

