Bismuth prices in Europe have surged to all-time highs as China’s export controls squeeze supplies of the mineral used in atomic research, cosmetics and pharmaceuticals, according to traders and experts.
Prices of bismuth have jumped to $40 a lb on the European spot market, an all-time high, up from $6 per lb in late January, a more than six-fold rise. In the United States, bismuth prices are even higher – at $55 a lb compared with $6.5-$7 before China’s export curbs.
Traders said U.S. prices were also higher because of the tariffs imposed by U.S. President Donald Trump on imports from top producer China. China in February announced plans to impose export controls on five key metals – tungsten, tellurium, molybdenum, bismuth, and indium – in response to Trump’s import tariffs.
For the rest of this article: https://www.reuters.com/markets/commodities/european-bismuth-prices-rocket-record-highs-china-export-curbs-2025-03-19/