US Slaps Over 93 Percent Tariff on Chinese Graphite Shipments

The United States has taken a tough stance against Chinese graphite imports, announcing a 93.5 percent anti-dumping duty on anode-grade material essential for electric vehicle (EV) batteries.

The preliminary decision by the US Commerce Department follows an investigation that found Chinese producers were undercutting fair market prices, putting US manufacturers at a disadvantage.

The tariffs cover graphite with at least 90 percent carbon purity by weight, whether natural, synthetic, or blended, and apply to imports worth USD 347.1 million in 2023.

As per reports, all Chinese producers will face the same 93.5 percent duty rate as a blanket measure. In a related case, the department also imposed preliminary countervailing duties, meant to offset government subsidies, of 6.55 percent for most Chinese exporters. However, two companies received staggeringly high rates: Huzhou Kaijin New Energy Technology (712.03 percent) and Shanghai Shaosheng Knitted Sweat (721.03 percent).

The final determinations for both the anti-dumping and anti-subsidy duties are expected by December 5, 2025. The petition that sparked the probe came from the American Active Anode Material Producers, a group of U.S.-based companies including Anovion Technologies, Syrah Technologies, Novonix Anode Materials, Epsilon Advanced Materials, and SKI US, with operations across New York, Louisiana, Tennessee, North Carolina, and Georgia.

The move comes amid growing concern about the US’s reliance on China for critical battery materials. The International Energy Agency (IEA), in its May 2025 Critical Minerals Market Review, flagged graphite as a high-risk material, pointing out that China controls about 70 percent of global natural graphite mining and over 90 percent of the processing capacity required for battery-grade material.

“The concentration of graphite processing creates acute vulnerabilities in global battery supply chains, requiring urgent efforts for diversification,” the IEA warned.

The new duties reflect a broader push by the US to secure its EV supply chains and reduce strategic dependence on China, just as the clean energy transition accelerates.