China jails smugglers of weapon metal antimony, taking tough stance on critical minerals

A Chinese court has convicted 27 individuals of smuggling more than 166 tonnes of antimony, a critical mineral used in weapons, semiconductors and flame retardants, in a significant enforcement action under Beijing’s tighter export controls for dual-use items.

The Shenzhen Intermediate People’s Court in Guangdong province ruled that the group had illegally shipped the critical mineral without obtaining export licences, according to a statement released on Tuesday.

Lead defendant Wang Wubin was sentenced to 12 years in prison and fined 1 million yuan (US$142,000), while the others received penalties ranging from four months of detention to five years in prison.

“The circumstances were serious and warrant severe punishment in accordance with the law,” the court said, noting that Wang conspired with an overseas smuggling gang to move the metal ingots out of China between February and March this year.

Critical minerals such as antimony have emerged as a key battleground in the technological and security rivalry between major powers. Beijing, which holds dominance over the global supply and production of many of these materials, has increasingly tightened its grip on them.

Wang was found to have organised the group to purchase, conceal and disguise the metal to evade customs.

  

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