外媒爆料，中方出口禁令“破功”，美国靠2国获得大量金属矿产

Group 1 - The article highlights that since China's antimony export ban in December last year, the U.S. has resorted to "roundabout imports" from Thailand and Mexico, acquiring up to 3,834 tons of antimony oxide, nearly equivalent to the total export volume from previous years [1] - Customs data indicates that from December last year to April this year, imports of Chinese antimony products by Thailand and Mexico surged by 300%, despite Thailand having only one antimony smelter and Mexico's sole processing plant restarting production only in April [1][2] - The article reveals that many of the new mining product traders in Nuevo León, Mexico, are actually controlled by offshore Chinese companies, with Unipet Industrial in Thailand being a wholly-owned subsidiary of a Chinese firm, significantly increasing its shipments to the U.S. [2] Group 2 - U.S. buyers openly acknowledge the use of alternative sourcing methods, with one miner admitting to receiving 200 kg of gallium from China, disguised under different labels to bypass scrutiny [2] - In May, a special meeting in China identified "third-country transshipment" as a key target for crackdown, indicating that such smuggling poses a national security threat, although actual enforcement has not met expectations [4] - The article underscores the challenges in global supply chains, suggesting that strict customs checks alone are insufficient to combat the circumvention of export controls, emphasizing the need for regulatory revisions and strategic mineral resource planning [4]