United States-based mining company, Westwater Resources, endorses the anti-dumping decision made by the U.S. Department of Commerce regarding imported graphite from China.
In the latest edition of Batteries News, we're focusing on a significant development shaping the battery market. The U.S. Department of Commerce has made a preliminary determination in an anti-dumping investigation of graphite-based anode materials imported from China.
The ruling, announced in July 2025, targets nearly $350 million worth of Chinese graphite imports annually. The investigation found that Chinese producers have been selling graphite-based anode materials into the U.S. market at unfairly low prices, harming domestic graphite producers.
The preliminary anti-dumping duty imposed is a hefty 93.5%, when combined with additional duties, the total effective tariff on these imports reaches approximately 160% for most Chinese producers. Some Chinese companies, such as Huzhou Kaijin New Energy Technology and Shanghai Shaosheng Knitted Sweat, face punitive duties exceeding 700%, effectively barring them from the U.S. market.
This is the second major decision by the U.S. Department of Commerce targeting practices by Chinese producers. The initial ruling in May 2021 addressed countervailing duties and determined that Chinese companies were receiving unfair government subsidies. The countervailing duty rate was updated on July 3, 2025, to 11.55%.
Jon Jacobs, Chief Commercial Officer of Westwater Resources, Inc., a Centennial, Colorado-based company specializing in energy technology and battery-grade natural graphite, stated that the new anti-dumping duties will make it economically clear that batteries built in the U.S. should use graphite made in the U.S. He believes that the clarity and pricing stability provided by the DOC's rulings are necessary for financing and building a competitive domestic graphite industry.
Westwater Resources, Inc. supports the U.S. Department of Commerce's ruling, which reflects a strong US effort to protect domestic graphite producers and secure critical mineral supply chains, especially for lithium-ion battery components.
Here's a summary of the duties and tariffs:
| Duty/ Tariff Type | Rate (%) | Notes | |------------------------------------|--------------------|---------------------------------------------------------| | Preliminary Anti-Dumping Duty | 93.5 | On graphite-based active anode material (AAM) from China | | Preliminary Countervailing Duty | ~11.5 | Related to subsidies on Chinese graphite imports | | Trump Administration Tariff | 30 | Blanket tariff on Chinese goods | | USTR Section 301 Tariff | 25 | Additional trade measure from previous administration | | Total Effective Tariff | ~160 | Combined impact for most Chinese producers | | Company-Specific Tariffs | >700 | For certain Chinese manufacturers |
With these new tariffs and duties, total import penalties on Chinese graphite-anode material now exceed 100%, and in some cases are much higher, depending on the producer. The DOC's anti-dumping duty rate is 93.5%. Final determinations are expected by December 5, 2025, and the ruling may maintain or adjust these rates but is anticipated to remain high.
The preliminary anti-dumping duty of 93.5% imposed on Chinese graphite imports indicates a strong U.S. commitment to protecting domestic graphite producers and securing critical mineral supply chains, particularly for lithium-ion battery components. Jon Jacobs, the Chief Commercial Officer of Westwater Resources, Inc., a company specializing in energy technology and battery-grade natural graphite, believes that these duties will make it economically viable for batteries in the U.S. to use domestically sourced graphite.
