Egypt Daily News – The White House confirmed that tariffs imposed on China have reached up to 245% on certain goods as a result of Chinese retaliatory measures.
China halts exports of six rare metals.
The White House added that China has stopped exporting six rare metals in an attempt to disrupt the supply of key components to car and aircraft manufacturers around the world.
Chinese dominance
Data from the U.S. Geological Survey revealed the extent to which the United States relies on Chinese imports of minerals. The U.S. imports 72% of its rare earth elements used in catalytic converters, ceramics, glass, batteries, and high-efficiency magnets from China. It also imports 68% of its bismuth, used in medical and nuclear applications, and 63% of its antimony, which is used in lead-acid batteries and flame retardants, according to The New York Times.
The U.S. heavily depends on China for arsenic—mainly used in semiconductors—at 58%, graphite (used in lubricants and fuel cells) at 42%, and barite (used in hydrocarbon production) at 30%. Tungsten, a corrosion-resistant metal used in heavy industries, accounts for 27% of imports from China.
The U.S. also imports about 26% of its germanium—used in fiber optics and night vision—from China, 24% of its tantalum—vital for electronic components—and 21% of its gallium, which is used in optical devices and integrated circuits.
Additionally, China exports to the U.S. around 9% of its magnesium, used in alloys and reducing metals, 6% of its fluorspar, an important element in aluminum and chemical production—and 3% of its lithium, which is essential for rechargeable batteries.
