The critical-minerals truce buys a year, not a fix

A reciprocal stand-down between the United States and China has paused the most sweeping recent mineral export controls. China suspended export controls on a range of critical minerals for one year, running from early November 2025 to November 2026, covering rare earths, lithium battery materials, gallium, germanium, antimony, tungsten, and graphite. The relief is bounded, since the earlier April 2025 controls on the original heavy rare earths were never suspended and remain operative. For anyone whose materials depend on these elements, the institute reads this as a window for diversification rather than a resolution.

Source: International Energy Agency and public reporting on the November 2025 suspension.