The Antimony Squeeze: Why a Little-Known Metal Became Strategic
KWE Metals Market Desk · · 6 min read
Antimony is used in flame retardants, batteries, ammunition and solar glass. Export restrictions from the dominant producer have pushed buyers to look for new sources, including Central America.
Few people outside the industry had heard of antimony until recently. It is a brittle, silvery metalloid, mined mostly as the mineral stibnite (antimony sulphide, Sb2S3). Yet it is hard to replace in several important uses, and both the United States and the European Union list it as a critical raw material.
Where antimony is used
- Flame retardants for plastics, textiles and electronics (antimony trioxide), the largest single use.
- Lead-acid batteries, where antimony hardens the lead grids.
- Ammunition and defence applications.
- Solar panel glass, where it improves clarity and durability.
- Semiconductors and specialist alloys.
Why supply is tight
Supply is concentrated. China has long been the largest producer and refiner, and Russia and Tajikistan are also significant sources. When China introduced export controls on antimony products in 2024, Western buyers faced sharply higher prices and longer lead times. Building new mines and refining capacity elsewhere takes years, so buyers are actively looking for ore and concentrate from new jurisdictions.
What buyers look for in stibnite ore
- Antimony grade (Sb %) on a dry basis, confirmed by an independent laboratory.
- Levels of arsenic, lead and mercury, which can bring penalties or rule material out.
- Lump size and moisture, which affect handling and processing.
- Consistent supply: a refinery prefers regular lots of predictable quality over one large shipment.
KWE Metals supplies stibnite and antimony ore from Central America. Grades and quantities are confirmed lot by lot with assay certificates; contact the trade desk with your specification and destination port. Live antimony market information is on our antimony market page.