China's ban on key high-tech materials...https://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/chinas-ban-key-high-tech-materials-broad-impact-116515933
"China has banned, in principle, exports to the United States of gallium, germanium and antimony — critical minerals needed to make advanced semiconductors, among many other types of equipment. Beijing also tightened controls on exports of graphite, which is used in EV and grid-storage batteries. China is the largest source for most of these materials and also dominates refining of those materials, which are used both for consumer goods and for military purposes."
China controls approximately %40 global antimony supply.
China controls approximately %95 of refined graphite supply.
Antimony up approximately %240 since ban news.
Graphite in cross hairs as per a much "stricter review process" by Chinese authorities...China has 'never' threatened the ban and/or restriction of graphite to the West before, ever.
Any Chinese ban or restriction in retaliation from Trump's soon to be announced Chinese graphite tariffs...how do you think the price of graphite will respond given China's complete global supply dominance?
How would that effect the US?
EV industry? Military? Industrial? Grid power storage?
How would that effect the share price of the only operating graphite miner in North America?
Who would the US government, OEM's, battery manufacturers, power companies, military defence companies and others turn to for a safe and reliable source of graphite if China were to either restrict or outright ban graphite?
What are other options for non Chinese supply?
Mozambique and Madagascar have graphite, mine and sell it. They also have extreme political instability and have been in bed with China for a very long time. China has heavily invested in those countries and have strong ties to both.
Brazil also has a producing mine and supply. Brazil is also a prominent member of BRICS so that wouldn't work.
The US has only a very few deposits that are a long way off from being developed, if ever due to poor economics.
There is no other ner term, clear and obvious answer to the US's problem of being cut off, or severely restricted in graphite supply...other than NGC.
Northern Graphite has the ability to ramp up production at LDI very quickly, in addition to near term production capacity re Bissett Creek and Namibia.
NGC needs cash to do this...but as the only producing graphite company in North America with the only realistic opportunity to supply the US with non Chinese production, cash should not be an issue.
Will the US let their entire EV industry go away? There is no EV industry without graphite. Or will they fund the only near term safe and reliable option that is NGC?
Time will tell.
We need that Trump Chinese graphite tariff number. If it's as big as I think it's going to be...NGC's phone should be ringing off the hook!