The Bureau of Industry and Security announced a year-long ban on Tuesday covering “black mass,” produced by shredding batteries, and scrap tungsten used in defence applications. Under the new rules, US sellers of black mass and tungsten scrap must sell only to domestic buyers unless granted an exception. Tungsten, used in munitions, has grown scarce amid global rearmament, conflicts in Iran and Ukraine, and Chinese export curbs, sending its price sharply higher this year. Black mass, containing lithium, cobalt, nickel, manganese and graphite, is also largely processed in Asia. The EU plans similar restrictions on black mass exports from November, said the FT.