‘Stark reminder of the challenges posed by geopolitical tensions,’ says group
“Imposing tariffs on Canadian mineral and metal exports to the U.S. would run counter to the shared goals of secure and reliable supply chains,” Pierre Gratton, the mining association’s president, said in Tuesday’s statement. “Such measures risk disrupting the essential flow of these resources, undermining the competitiveness of North American industries, and exacerbating vulnerabilities in critical mineral supply chains that both nations are working to address.”
Germanium’s uses include fibre optics, night-vision goggles and space exploration. Most satellites are powered with germanium-based solar cells. Canada was responsible for supplying nearly half of the U.S.’s import needs of germanium between 2019 and 2022, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.