US export controls on tungsten, battery ‘black mass’ seen pressuring Chinese recyclers

With Washington moving to ensure that tungsten scrap and lithium-ion battery “black mass” stay in the United States, analysts warn that the new restrictions will deprive Chinese refiners of a source of lower-cost feedstock and prompt Beijing to seek alternative supplies.

China could also accelerate domestic recycling and use its own export controls on rare earths and magnets as leverage, they said.

The administration of US President Donald Trump on Thursday barred exports of tungsten scrap and battery black mass – the shredded residue from used batteries that can be processed to recover valuable materials such as lithium, nickel and cobalt.

Tungsten, known for its density, strength and exceptionally high melting point, is widely used in semiconductors, artificial intelligence chips, aerospace equipment and weapons.

The year-long directive mandates that suppliers offer 100 per cent of their monthly output of tungsten scrap and black mass to US buyers and to keep the materials within the country.

The order marks Washington’s latest attempt to shore up its strategic resource pipeline, coming after China imposed export controls on a range of tungsten products in February 2025 and required exporters to obtain government licences.