The US Commerce Department has announced preliminary anti-dumping duties of 93.5% on anode-grade graphite imported from China, reported Reuters, citing a department fact sheet.

This decision comes after findings that these materials, which are crucial for electric vehicle batteries, were being sold at less than fair market value in the US.

The fact sheet indicates a uniform anti-dumping margin and cash deposit rate of 93.5% for all Chinese producers.

The order targets imports valued at $347.1m (2.49bn yuan) in 2023. The duties cover anode-grade graphite with a minimum purity content of 90% carbon by weight, including synthetic graphite, natural graphite or a blend of both.

Additionally, a separate countervailing duty investigation into subsidies on Chinese anode-grade graphite was carried out by the US Department of Commerce (DoC).

On 20 May 2025, the US DoC disclosed its initial positive finding showing a preliminary countervailing duty of 6.55% for most producers.

However, significantly higher rates of 712.03% and 721.03% were set for Huzhou Kaijin New Energy Technology and Shanghai Shaosheng Knitted Sweat, respectively.

Concurrently, the DoC was undertaking an anti-dumping duty probe into the same category of products from China.

The final anti-dumping and anti-subsidy duties are expected by 5 December 2025.

The American Active Anode Material Producers, a coalition of US producers, is the petitioner for both the anti-dumping and anti-subsidy cases.

This group includes Anovion Technologies of Sanborn, New York; Syrah Technologies of Vidalia, Louisiana; Novonix Anode Materials of Chattanooga, Tennessee; Epsilon Advanced Materials of Leland, North Carolina; and SKI US of Marietta, Georgia.

Last month, the US-China trade truce talks in London reportedly left a critical issue unresolved regarding the export of rare earth elements used in military applications.