China’s exports of germanium and antimony dropped sharply in June, falling 95% and 88% respectively compared to January, according to customs data released Sunday.
The decline comes amid a crackdown on smuggling and transshipment involving China’s top intelligence agency.
Both minerals are used in weapons, telecommunications, and solar cells. China is the world’s largest miner or refiner of both and added them to its export control list in 2023 and 2024. Exports to the United States were banned in December as part of China’s response to U.S. chip restrictions.
Unlike rare earth exports, which rebounded in June after a trade deal between the U.S. and China, shipments of germanium and antimony remain near record lows.
China’s Ministry of State Security said last week it had detected efforts to bypass export controls through transshipment, where goods are sent to a third country before reaching their final destination.
Exports of antimony to Thailand fell 90% after hitting a record in April, and there have been no shipments to Mexico since April. Recent data shows large amounts of antimony arriving in the U.S. from Thailand and Mexico, linked to transshipment by at least one Chinese company.
Spot prices for high-purity germanium have more than doubled since export controls began in July 2023. Antimony prices have risen nearly four times since May last year.
