A+ Metals Watch
Antimony and China's export controls
As of 26 October 2026, exporting antimony from China still requires a licence for every country, under Announcement No. 33 of 2024, in force since 15 September 2024. The ban on exports to the United States, decided in December 2024, is suspended until 27 November 2026.
Last verified: 26 October 2026 · Request a quotation
The antimony timeline
10 November 2026
end of the suspension of Announcements No. 55 to 58, 61 and 62 of 2025 (the rare earth package of 9 October 2025), suspended by Announcement No. 70 of 2025.
27 November 2026
end of the suspension of the ban on exporting gallium, germanium, antimony and superhard materials to the United States (Announcement No. 46 of 2024), suspended on 9 November 2025 by Announcement No. 72 of 2025.
All Chinese measures in force
| Material | Measure | In force since | MOFCOM announcement | Status on 26 October 2026 | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gallium, germanium | Export licence required, all destinations | 1 August 2023 | No. 23 of 2023 | In force | link |
| Graphite | Export licence required, all destinations | 1 December 2023 | number not confirmed | In force | link |
| Antimony and related items (17 customs codes) | Export licence required, all destinations | 15 September 2024 | No. 33 of 2024 | In force | link |
| Antimony, gallium, germanium, superhard materials | Ban on exports to the United States (dual-use items) | 3 December 2024 | No. 46 of 2024 | Suspended until 27 November 2026 (Announcement No. 72 of 2025) | link |
| Tungsten, tellurium, bismuth, molybdenum, indium | Export licence required, all destinations | 4 February 2025 | No. 10 of 2025 | In force | link |
| Medium and heavy rare earths (samarium, gadolinium, terbium, dysprosium, lutetium, scandium, yttrium) | Export licence required, all destinations | April 2025 | No. 18 of 2025 | In force | link |
| Package of 9 October 2025 (extended rare earths, superhard materials, lithium batteries, anode graphite) | Additional licences and controls | 9 October 2025 | No. 55 to 58, 61 and 62 of 2025 | Suspended until 10 November 2026 (Announcement No. 70 of 2025) | link |
Last verified: 26 October 2026. Each row links to its source. Where an announcement number could not be confirmed, it is left blank.
What this changes for a European buyer
- Europe is not under embargo. It is under licence: each Chinese shipment depends on a case-by-case authorisation, and the timing is not yours.
- European antimony goes mainly into flame retardants (trioxide), lead alloys for batteries and a few technical alloys. These are continuous productions, where a supply break costs more than the material itself.
- Qualifying a second source takes time: a sample, an assay in your laboratory, sometimes an audit. Starting after a shortage means being two to three months behind the problem.
- Thai origin is proven like any other: official certificate of origin, name and city of the smelter, independent lot assay. Demand all three, from us as from anyone else.
Buyer questions
Does China ban antimony exports?
No, not in general. Since 15 September 2024, antimony and seventeen categories of related products require an export licence, for every destination. A ban targeting the United States specifically was decided in December 2024, then suspended until 27 November 2026.
Do I need a licence to buy Chinese antimony from Europe?
Yes. You are not the one applying for it, your Chinese supplier is, but your delivery depends on it. Until the licence is granted, the goods do not leave China.
What happens on 27 November 2026?
The suspension of the ban on exports to the United States expires. For a European buyer the effect is indirect but real: if the ban applies again, American demand shifts to non-Chinese sources, which Europe also relies on.
Where can I buy antimony outside China?
Producers outside China are few and most sell under annual contracts. A+ Express Metals supplies European manufacturers with antimony ingots of Thai origin, by container of 10 to 25 tonnes, delivered to your plant, with a certificate of origin and an independent assay at loading.
Which forms and purities?
We offer antimony metal in ingots, standard grade from 99.65 % Sb. Arsenic, lead, iron and bismuth limits are given lot by lot on the assay certificate. Send us your specification and we will tell you whether the available lot meets it.
What are the lead times and payment terms?
Allow roughly 35 to 45 days of sea transit from Thailand, then delivery by truck to your plant. Payment is by irrevocable sight letter of credit: your bank only pays against compliant documents, including the inspector's certificate.
How is quality checked?
Every lot is weighed, sampled and assayed at loading by an independent company (SGS, Bureau Veritas or Intertek). You receive the weight and assay certificates, and a sealed sample is kept for 90 days for arbitration.
How do I prove the antimony is not of Chinese origin?
Through the official certificate of origin that comes with the lot, and through the name and city of the plant that casts the ingots, which we state in the offer. Origin is a customs fact: it is demonstrated by documents, not by a sales claim.
Sources
- Ministry of Commerce of China (MOFCOM)
- International Energy Agency, gallium and germanium announcement
- Global Trade Alert, antimony measures
- CNBC, suspension of 9 November 2025
- Fastmarkets, suspension on superhard materials
- Swedish Institute of International Affairs, China's mineral export restrictions
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