US moves to require licences for exports of tungsten scrap and battery black mass for one year

Oilprice reported on Wednesday 5 August 2026 that the Bureau of Industry and Security at the US Department of Commerce is moving to restrict, for one year, exports of black mass and tungsten waste and scrap without a licence, in order to secure domestic supply of these critical metals.

In a request for comments on the temporary final rule, the Commerce Department said the move follows a Presidential Determination issued last week under Section 101 of the Defense Production Act. That determination states that recoverable critical minerals and materials are scarce.

Black mass is the material recovered from recycling lithium ion batteries, while tungsten is used in metals and defence industries. Restricting the global flow of these materials can affect specialty metals supply chains and the international scrap market.