According to Bloomberg, the USA will prohibit the export of tungsten scrap and materials derived from battery recycling starting at the end of this month. This decision was made after President Donald Trump authorized federal authorities to keep strategically important raw materials within the country.
Tungsten is a high-strength metal used in the production of military armor, munitions, and high-precision tools in the automotive industry. According to Bloomberg, tungsten is one of the metals whose export is also controlled by China.
At the same time, materials obtained from the recycling of lithium-ion batteries are becoming an increasingly important source for the recovery of lithium, cobalt, nickel, and other valuable metals.
Lee Allen, a senior analyst at Fastmarkets, noted that in the first quarter of 2026, the USA accounted for about 9% of global production capacity for such materials from battery scrap.
