The United States is implementing a one-year ban on the export of tungsten scrap and recycled battery materials, specifically black mass, to safeguard its critical mineral supplies. This move follows President Donald Trump's directive, under the Defense Production Act of 1950, empowering federal authorities to retain essential materials within the country. The restriction, effective later this month, requires suppliers to sell these materials domestically, although exemptions can be sought.
The policy aims to address the US's significant reliance on imported critical minerals, many of which are controlled by China. These materials, including lithium, nickel, and tungsten, are vital for national defense and advanced technologies. For instance, the US has not commercially mined tungsten since 2015, making scrap a crucial domestic source for the metal used in munitions. White House officials highlighted that retaining these materials, often exported due to domestic processing shortfalls, is a faster solution than building new mines.
The ban specifically targets "recoverable critical minerals and materials" (CMMs), which include black mass from used batteries, end-of-life permanent magnets, and other scrap containing critical minerals. Copper scrap is explicitly excluded. The presidential determination emphasizes that these CMMs are scarce and critical for national defense, and that current import reliance poses a significant risk of supply chain disruptions. This action is part of a broader effort to bolster domestic mineral supplies and reduce dependence on foreign, particularly Chinese, sources.
The US currently exports approximately 33,000 metric tons of e-scrap per month, much of which contains these critical minerals. This practice has frustrated the domestic recycling industry, which argues that retaining and processing these materials domestically could help meet mineral production goals and reduce the need for new mining operations. Industry leaders, like David Klanecky of Cirba Solutions, view this as a long-term strategic priority for US manufacturing competitiveness and national security. This initiative also comes ahead of a January 1, 2027, deadline for defense contractors to cease purchasing minerals from China.
