Canada mining group uses China ban to push back on Trump tariffs
China’s move to ban exports of rare metals to the US underscores the need for trade cooperation between mineral-rich Canada and its southern neighbor.
That’s the message from the Mining Association of Canada, which argued that China’s decision to curb shipments of gallium, germanium and other key metals to the US is “a stark reminder of the challenges posed by geopolitical tensions, particularly on the reliable supply of critical minerals.”
The statement from the mining association follows the escalation of trade tensions with the US, after President-elect Donald Trump threatened to slap 25% tariffs on all goods coming from Canada and Mexico unless the countries each do more to stem migration and fentanyl.
“Imposing tariffs on Canadian mineral and metal exports to the US would run counter to the shared goals of secure and reliable supply chains,” Pierre Gratton, the mining association’s president, said in Tuesday’s statement. “Such measures risk disrupting the essential flow of these resources, undermining the competitiveness of North American industries, and exacerbating vulnerabilities in critical mineral supply chains that both nations are working to address.”
More than half of Canada’s mineral exports — valued at more than C$80-billion ($56.9-billion) — were destined for the US in 2022, according to the Canadian group. Its members include Barrick Gold, Agnico Eagle Mines, Cameco, BHP Group and others.
Meanwhile, Vancouver-based metals producer Teck Resources, one of the world’s largest integrated germanium producers, said it’s looking at ways to boost its output of the metal in the wake of China’s export ban.
Germanium’s uses include fiber optics, night-vision goggles and space exploration. Most satellites are powered with germanium-based solar cells. Canada was responsible for supplying nearly half of the US’s import needs of germanium between 2019 and 2022, according to the US Geological Survey.
Comments
Press Office
Announcements
What's On
Subscribe to improve your user experience...
Option 1 (equivalent of R125 a month):
Receive a weekly copy of Creamer Media's Engineering News & Mining Weekly magazine
(print copy for those in South Africa and e-magazine for those outside of South Africa)
Receive daily email newsletters
Access to full search results
Access archive of magazine back copies
Access to Projects in Progress
Access to ONE Research Report of your choice in PDF format
Option 2 (equivalent of R375 a month):
All benefits from Option 1
PLUS
Access to Creamer Media's Research Channel Africa for ALL Research Reports, in PDF format, on various industrial and mining sectors
including Electricity; Water; Energy Transition; Hydrogen; Roads, Rail and Ports; Coal; Gold; Platinum; Battery Metals; etc.
Already a subscriber?
Forgotten your password?
Receive weekly copy of Creamer Media's Engineering News & Mining Weekly magazine (print copy for those in South Africa and e-magazine for those outside of South Africa)
➕
Recieve daily email newsletters
➕
Access to full search results
➕
Access archive of magazine back copies
➕
Access to Projects in Progress
➕
Access to ONE Research Report of your choice in PDF format
RESEARCH CHANNEL AFRICA
R4500 (equivalent of R375 a month)
SUBSCRIBEAll benefits from Option 1
➕
Access to Creamer Media's Research Channel Africa for ALL Research Reports on various industrial and mining sectors, in PDF format, including on:
Electricity
➕
Water
➕
Energy Transition
➕
Hydrogen
➕
Roads, Rail and Ports
➕
Coal
➕
Gold
➕
Platinum
➕
Battery Metals
➕
etc.
Receive all benefits from Option 1 or Option 2 delivered to numerous people at your company
➕
Multiple User names and Passwords for simultaneous log-ins
➕
Intranet integration access to all in your organisation