A few days after the US ratcheted up controls on semiconductor exports to China , Beijing announced that graphite sales fro

A few days after the US 🇺🇸 ratcheted up controls on semiconductor exports to China 🇨🇳, Beijing announced that graphite sales from China will require a license as of Dec. 1st 2023. China’s commerce ministry said the restrictions on graphite exports are not targeted at any specific sector. Graphite is the basis of the anode, or negative pole, of EV batteries, accounting for up to half their weight. More than 90% of anode-ready graphite is produced in China. Graphite can either be mined or derived synthetically from petrochemicals . Synthetic production is common but the pollution involved negates the underlying purpose of going green with EVs. Türkiye 🇹🇷 and Brazil 🇧🇷 hold the largest reserves of natural graphite followed by China which accounts for 80% of mine production, however. China 🇨🇳 recently imposed restrictions on exporting rare earth elements gallium and germanium that are crucial to parts of the semiconductor, telecommunications and EV industry. China produces 60% of the world’s germanium and 80% of gallium. Both metals are byproducts from processing other commodities such as coal and bauxite. The ’green revolution’ touted by many western countries, is rapidly depleting available rare earth element neodymium (Nd) and also causing pollution. Nd is essential to make permanent magnets 🧲 for electric motors ️ and wind turbines. The Bayan’obo district of the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, China, has an open pit mine for rare earth’s including Nd. Each metric ton of rare-earth element mined there necessitates clearing 3,230 square feet of vegetation and topsoil, and releases 1,000 metric tons of contaminated wastewater and 2,000 metric tons of solid or liquid waste tailings. Video source - HCSS Источник: The Paradigm Shift Channel ⏳