military and our global economy remain as vulnerable to supply interruption as ever. government has long recommended a significant strategic stockpiling exercise for antimony as a guard against supply-chain uncertainty, but to date no such stockpiling has taken place. And today, as trade negotiations between the United States and China continue, the idea of adding additional restrictions to antimony directly influence the debate. In 2013, China restricted the export of its antimony over a period of several years - a move that shook the antimony supply chain and not surprisingly pushed prices upward. The threat has been around for generations, and itвЂ™s no less prevalent today than it was 75 years ago when Japan invaded China and cut off the United States from its main source of antimony.

History - along with todayвЂ™s trade headlines - demonstrates the risk inherent to this dynamic. This is a grievous self-inflicted strategic wound not only of geography but also of todayвЂ™s volatile trade landscape, creating dependence often on adversarial foreign powers.Д¬hina is currently the worldвЂ™s leading producer of antimony, and the United States meets most of its antimony needs through Chinese imports. Yet, despite holding extensive domestic reserves, the United States is 100 percent dependent on imports of antimony.

Antimony is a key ingredient in communication equipment, night vision goggles, explosives, ammunition, nuclear weapons, submarines, warships, optics, laser sighting, and much more. Antimony is also vital to our militaryвЂ™s effectiveness and has been since it was labeled as crucial to the war effort during World War II. These are important applications, but this mineralвЂ™s role reaches beyond consumer goods and industrial production.

Us antimony