China has banned the export of certain rare minerals, including gallium, germanium, and antimony, to the U.S. in response to the Biden administration’s new export controls on chip manufacturing equipment and software.

These minerals are critical for producing semiconductor chips, solar panels, and military technologies.

China dominates their global production, and the move also includes stricter reviews of graphite exports used in electric vehicle batteries, Axios has reported.

This action is part of a broader technological rivalry between the U.S. and China, with both countries prioritizing national security and advanced technology development.

Written by B.C. Begley