Trump Administration blocks tungsten and battery waste exports to strengthen U.S. minerals supply

The U.S. Commerce Department announced on Thursday that it will prohibit exports of tungsten scrap and battery waste, marking a key step in its broader effort to bolster domestic recycling capabilities and secure critical mineral supply chains.

The move, which had been widely anticipated, follows President Donald Trump's executive order last week authorizing federal officials to restrict overseas shipments of scrap containing valuable critical minerals, particularly to China and other nations.

The order specifically targets the export of so-called "black mass"-shredded material from lithium-ion batteries-as well as scrap containing tungsten, a metal essential for steel hardening and widely used in defense applications.

Published in the Federal Register, the order takes effect on August 27 and will remain in force for one year, according to the Commerce Department's Bureau of Industry and Security. Waivers may be granted on a case-by-case basis, but only if companies can demonstrate "undue hardship" or "irreparable harm."

The U.S. currently exports nearly 33,000 metric tons of electronic waste and other scrap monthly, much of which contains recyclable critical minerals, according to data from the environmental group Basel Action Network. However, domestic recycling capacity remains insufficient to process all the scrap generated. Several recyclers have encountered financial difficulties over the past 18 months, including Li-Cycle and Ascend Elements, both of which have filed for bankruptcy.