3834 tons of rare earths arrived in the United States! 27 times that of last year, the US disclosed details: importing through China
According to Reuters, from December 2024 to April this year, 3834 tons of antimony trioxide entered the United States from Thailand and Mexico, equivalent to the total imports over the past three years. For the United States, this batch of antimony trioxide has relieved a significant portion of pressure. It is reported that this rare earth was purchased from Chinese producers through agents, and then the logistics company was responsible for disguising the goods' names, and transported to the United States through a third Asian country.
Oriental commentary: In 2023, neither Thailand nor Mexico were major overseas customers of China's antimony. However, since China launched restrictions on rare earths, the import of antimony from these two countries suddenly entered the top three in the ranking. In addition, Thailand and Mexico do not have any related industries related to antimony, so it is easy to understand where the antimony in the United States comes from. Thailand or Mexico obtained the antimony from China and then resold it to the United States, with Thailand or Mexico acting as intermediaries.
This report also explains from another angle why China further strengthened its rare earth control in May, conducting traceability investigations on rare earths, aiming to prevent the resale of rare earths. Although the United States now has obtained more than 3000 tons of antimony, which relieves an immediate crisis, antimony is mainly used in the production of batteries and chips, only relieving the shortage of raw materials in the electric vehicle sector. For the U.S. military industry, which requires gallium, germanium and other rare earths, there are still no sufficient sources, and it is struggling to find rare earth resources.
Original text: https://www.toutiao.com/article/1837315342639113/
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