U.S. Bans Export of Tungsten Scrap and Battery Black Mass for One Year
N.R. Finch
The US will ban exports of tungsten scrap and battery black mass for one year starting later this month — the first concrete action after Trump signed an executive authority to restrict critical-mineral waste exports, aimed at locking recyclable strategic materials inside the domestic supply chain.
What exactly is banned, and under what authority?
The ban covers two materials: tungsten scrap and black mass — the crusite mixture left after shredding spent lithium-ion batteries, rich in lithium, cobalt, and nickel.
The legal basis is the Cold War-era Defense Production Act. Trump signed the authority last week, empowering officials to restrict exports of industrial waste containing critical minerals.
This means → Washington now treats recycled material as strategically equal to virgin ore — the control net has expanded from the mine to the scrap yard.
Why tungsten and black mass?
Tungsten is an ultra-hard metal used in military armor, ammunition, and precision factory tooling. China has already placed it under its own export controls.
In plain terms = China restricted tungsten exports first; the US is now locking down its own tungsten scrap in return. Both sides are choking the same metal's pipeline from opposite ends.
Black mass is the key intermediate in lithium-battery recycling — whoever controls black mass holds the regeneration gateway of the battery supply chain.
Is this a total shutdown?
Not entirely: suppliers may apply for exemptions, leaving some room for continued exports.
However, the rule requires these materials to be sold domestically first. Exemptions are the exception, not the norm.
This means → the policy signal is unambiguous — Washington wants to force-build domestic critical-mineral recycling and processing capacity.
What happens after one year?
The restriction is set at one year — both a window and a test.
The key variable: whether US domestic recycling and processing capacity can meaningfully expand within that window. If it cannot, policymakers face a dilemma when the ban expires.
This reflects a larger shift: the US-China critical-minerals contest has moved from "who can mine it" to "who can recycle it." Scrap and secondary materials are becoming the new front line.
Content is for reference only, not financial advice.