China Imposes 34% Tariffs on the United States, Which Will Affect the Molybdenum Industry

On April 4, 2025, the Customs Tariff Commission of the State Council of China announced that, effective from 12:01 on April 10, 2025, a 34% tariff will be imposed on all goods imported from the United States, in addition to the existing applicable tariff rates. Goods that departed their point of origin before 12:01 on April 10, 2025, and are imported between that time and 24:00 on May 13, 2025, will be exempt from this additional tariff.

Given the limited volume of molybdenum products imported from the U.S., this 34% tariff is not expected to significantly impact China’s domestic molybdenum industry. According to China Tungsten Online, China imports from the U.S. include roasted molybdenum ores and concentrates, other molybdenum ores and concentrates, molybdenum oxides and hydroxides, ammonium molybdate, other molybdates, molybdenum powder, and related products.

Import Data Analysis

2025 (January–February)

Volume: China imported 1,103.53 tons of molybdenum products from the U.S., up 108.67% year-on-year, accounting for 7.01% of total imports (13,775.79 tons).

Value: Imports amounted to 170 million CNY, a 101.69% increase, representing 8.78% of total import value (1.936 billion CNY).

Breakdown:

Roasted molybdenum ores and concentrates: 54,000 kg, down 86.26% month-on-month.

Other molybdenum ores and concentrates: 624,733 kg, up 100.00% month-on-month.

Molybdenum oxides and hydroxides: 249 kg, down 99.38% month-on-month.

Ammonium molybdate: 423,501 kg, down 343.72% month-on-month (likely an error in the original data; interpreted as a significant drop).

Other molybdates: 6 kg, down 70.00% month-on-month.

Molybdenum powder: 260 kg, up 100.00% month-on-month.

Molybdenum bars, rods, profiles, plates, sheets, strips, and foils: 246 kg, up 182.76% month-on-month.

Molybdenum wire: 1 kg, unchanged month-on-month.

Other molybdenum products: 532 kg, up 628.77% month-on-month.

2024 (Full Year)

Volume: China imported 6,751.75 tons from the U.S., up 94.01% year-on-year, comprising 8.56% of total imports (78,900 tons).

Value: Imports totaled 1.019 billion CNY, up 47.29%, accounting for 9.05% of total import value (11.263 billion CNY).

Breakdown:

Roasted molybdenum ores and concentrates: 1,892,152 kg, up 5.94% month-on-month.

Other molybdenum ores and concentrates: 3,720,804 kg, up 360.98% month-on-month.

Molybdenum oxides and hydroxides: 66,845 kg, up 9,082.01% month-on-month.

Ammonium molybdate: 1,071,709 kg, up 21.26% month-on-month.

Other molybdates: 158 kg, down 57.87% month-on-month.

Molybdenum powder: 353 kg, down 29.54% month-on-month.

Molybdenum bars, rods, profiles, plates, sheets, strips, and foils: 1,015 kg, up 25.62% month-on-month.

Molybdenum wire: 11 kg, up 175.00% month-on-month.

Other molybdenum products: 1,701 kg, down 22.26% month-on-month.

China’s Position in the Global Molybdenum Market

China holds a leading position in the global molybdenum supply chain, both in reserves and production:

Reserves: As of the end of 2024, China’s molybdenum reserves stood at 5,900 tons (assuming a typo in the original text; likely intended as 5.9 million tons), accounting for 39.33% of the global total (15 million tons per USGS estimates).

Production: In 2024, China produced 110,000 tons of molybdenum, a 14.58% increase year-on-year, representing 42.31% of global output (approximately 260,000 tons).

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