U.S. Commerce Department Bans Export of Tungsten Scrap and Battery Black Mass
Taylor Wilson
The US Commerce Department on August 6 banned exports of tungsten scrap and battery black mass, effective August 27 for one year — the Trump administration's latest move to pull critical-mineral supply chains back onshore and cut dependence on China.
What exactly is banned, and why now?
The ban covers two materials: tungsten scrap — tungsten is a metal that hardens steel and is vital in defense — and black mass, the crushed powder left after shredding spent lithium-ion batteries, a key feedstock for recovering lithium, cobalt, and nickel.
Last week Trump signed an executive order authorizing federal officials to restrict exports of scrap containing critical minerals. This Commerce Department ban is the first concrete action under that authority.
This means → the policy signal is unmistakable: scrap is no longer "waste" — it is a strategic resource, and shipping it cheaply to overseas recyclers is now off the table.
How much scrap does the US export every month?
According to the Basel Action Network, the US exports roughly 33,000 metric tons of e-waste and other scrap per month, much of it containing recoverable critical minerals.
In plain terms = the US has been calling for "supply-chain security" while sending tens of thousands of tons of rare-metal-bearing scrap abroad every month — this ban is meant to close that gap.
An exemption mechanism exists: companies can apply for case-by-case waivers if they prove the ban would cause "undue hardship" or "irreparable harm."
What does industry think?
Zubeyde Oysul, critical-minerals policy manager at Washington think tank SAFE, said: "It is encouraging to see the government recognize the importance of recovering critical materials from scrap."
Ryan McAdams, CEO of tungsten recycler Amermin, was more cautious: "This ban is a Band-Aid — it buys us time, but we have to start building infrastructure on US soil."
He disclosed that Amermin received an $11.5 million grant from the Department of Energy last year but has yet to receive the funds — had the money arrived, its commercial recycling facility could have come online at least six months earlier.
The real question — can the US actually absorb this scrap?
The US currently does not have enough domestic recycling capacity to process all its own scrap.
Over the past eighteen months, lithium-battery recyclers Li-Cycle and Ascend Elements both filed for bankruptcy. This reflects severe economic pressure across the recycling sector — policy support alone does not guarantee survival.
In plain terms = the ban keeps the scrap at home, but if domestic capacity is not built within the one-year window, the material simply piles up in warehouses — whether this ban translates into real capacity is the make-or-break test of the policy.
Content is for reference only, not financial advice.