China to impose export controls on antimony and related technologies
BEIJING, August 15 – RIA Novosti. China will impose export controls on antimony and related elements and technologies in order to protect national security, the Ministry of Commerce of China reported on Thursday.
The relevant restrictions will come into force on September 15.
The department noted that the decision was made in order to “protect national security and interests, as well as fulfill international obligations in the field of non-proliferation.”
Thus, without special permission, it will be impossible to export substances, technologies and equipment related to antimony – antimony ore, including in the form of lumps, granules, powder, crystals, etc.; metallic antimony; antimony oxide, trimethylantimony and other organic antimony compounds, the purity of which exceeds 9.999%; technology for separating antimony and gold, etc. Also subject to export control are substances and technologies related to superhard materials.
As the department indicated, in order to export these substances, operators will need to undergo procedures for obtaining an export license and provide other documents.
Antimony is a strategic mineral resource. It is widely used in the semiconductor industry, for the production of batteries, as well as in the military industry, including for the production of ammunition, explosives and nuclear weapons.