China has near global monopolies on these exports, accounting for 98% of global gallium production, 93% of germanium production, and 49% of antimony production.
Tariffs, sanctions, trade war… This will definitely help the working class…
Germanium and gallium are not that rare. They’re produced as a byproduct of other types of mining (zinc, aluminum, coal, etc). China has a monopoly on them not because of any kind of special geology, but because they were willing to sell them below cost for decades.
It won’t take long for alternative sources to spin up and become available, especially because China has been threatening to do this for over a year.
We mine a fair amount here in the US, and I’ve heard a lot of talk about expanding mining operations. I’m guessing it’s one of those cases where it’s just not economical given China’s pricing to extract those metals, and we could probably change that if we needed to.
So yeah, I’m not too worried about it. Once costs go up, mining companies will get interested and provide supply.
they were willing to sell them below cost
That’s certainly a claim.
Are they going to ban these exports to Taiwan and the EU as well? If not this will have zero affect for the state actors and the US will just buy through a trading proxy at a higher cost.
Idiotic policy on both sides. The global trade genie is out of the bottle, only end users will pay the price for these policies.
If not this will have zero affect for the state actors and the US will just buy through a trading proxy at a higher cost.
I’d define that as an effect, particularly given how the US has been scrambling to insource its tech industry over the last four years. TMSC just ramped up a competitive chip fab in Arizona, for instance.
Idiotic policy on both sides.
The argument boils down to each country claiming they need additional security measures aimed at a geopolitical rival. The ramp up to war never looks smart until one side wins.
The Arizona fab is for relatively standard chips, not the high end ones.
And this is also a step to prepare for an incoming president that has already kicked off a trade war before he even got there.
the US will just buy through a trading proxy at a higher cost.
That’s basically how the ban on imports of Russian oil is working…
There are differences between oil trade and less ubiquitous materials.
Less glpbal trade, less pollution
Oh the ensuing coups and proxy wars for these resources are sure to be horrifying for the world.
Oh, GaN tech items are gonna get pricey aren’t they?
Only for Americans that need to pay for the tariffs. The devices are made in china.
Time to go stock up on chargers
It’s about to be 1945 again! Can’t wait to raze Berlin again!
I think the facist roles are reversed.
Does that mean Canada gets to burn down the white house again?
Musical number on it https://youtu.be/o7jlFZhprU4
Britain did that, British North America was sitting quietly in the back seat playing Pokemon by that point.
No we get to become the 51st state.
