Beijing also unveiled fresh export controls on rare metals and chemicals including tungsten, tellurium, bismuth, and molybdenum, used in a range of industrial appliances.
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China produces 80% of world supply of Tungsten. 70% of all Tungsten is used for drills, lathes and saws. The rest is used in munitions and electronics (the semiconductor electronics).
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China produces two thirds of global Tellurium. It is used in semiconductors for cutting edge AI chips. The US has been weaning itself off reliance on imports for this. They had 95% reliance on imports in 2019 but have 25% reliance on imports in 2023. This is being hit because of semiconductors.
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China produces like 95%+ of the world’s Bismuth. It is used in alloys used in electronics and semiconductors.
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China produces a third of global molybdenum supply. Is is again used in alloys necessary for this process.
Analysis: China are trying to slow America’s ability to set up a proper semiconductor industry.
All I did is hammer in “Who produces the most x” and “What is x used for” into google for each material. Pretty easy to pick up the motivations from what the stuff is used for and where you have to get it from.
The news isn’t interested in making anyone actually understand anything so we have to do it ourselves.
