Select a real-world export control measure to see the cascade through the AI hardware supply chain.

China Graphite & Antimony Export Controls (Dec 2023)

China's Ministry of Commerce extended its critical-mineral export controls to include high-purity graphite products, effective December 1, 2023, followed by additional antimony controls announced in August 2024. Graphite is a key anode material for lithium-ion batteries and is also used in high-purity form as a crucible material in silicon wafer crystal growth. China controls roughly 65% of natural graphite mining and the majority of high-purity synthetic graphite processing. The controls require exporters to obtain licenses and submit end-user documentation, adding friction and uncertainty to supply chains that depend on Chinese-origin graphite for semiconductor and battery manufacturing.