China's critical mineral curbs shake AI data center suppliers

Vital bismuth inventories running low, warn suppliers to Nvidia and others

20250611 Data center and Bismuth

Bismuth is a key ingredient in tech manufacturing, including production of AI data center servers. (Nikkei montage) 

CHENG TING-FANG and LAUY LI

TAIPEI -- Tech companies building AI data centers for Nvidia, Amazon and Google are counting on a breakthrough in U.S.-China trade negotiations as their stockpiles of critical minerals and related materials run painfully low.

China tightened its restrictions on critical elements used in tech manufacturing in April amid trade tensions with the U.S. Since then, prices of these elements have surged, and supplies of materials that use them, such as low-temperature solder paste, can be measured in weeks, executives from multiple suppliers told Nikkei Asia.

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