Antimony

A brittle metalloid for flame retardants, batteries and munitions, hit by supply shocks.

Overview

Antimony is mined mainly as the sulfide mineral stibnite, with China the largest producer and refiner and countries including Tajikistan and Russia also significant. Its biggest use is as a synergist in flame retardants for plastics and textiles, followed by lead acid battery alloys, glass including solar panel glass, and military ammunition and primers, which gives it strategic weight. Chinese export controls from September 2024 and a ban on shipments to the United States announced that December drove prices to record highs. Prices are assessed by reporting agencies, notably for metal in Rotterdam warehouses. Western stockpiling and a handful of new mine projects aim to diversify supply.