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Stephen Chen

Zircon from Australia could become fiercely contested by China and the United States, a geologist who works with the Chinese military has warned.
While zircon is commonly valued as a gemstone, inside, it contains the metal zirconium.
The metal can withstand very high temperatures, enabling ceramics, for example, to be heated to above 3,000 degrees Celsius (5,432 degrees Fahrenheit) and providing indispensable protection for hypersonic aircraft.
China has the world’s largest demand for zirconium, but its reserves only account for 0.7 per cent of the global total. The US, another major consumer of zirconium, also has few reserves.
The country with the world’s largest reserves of zirconium is Australia, with over 74 per cent of the global total, according to data from the US Geological Survey.
“Global demand for zirconium resources is continuously growing due to their enormous potential in military applications,” a research team, led by senior engineer Kong Fanjin with the China Geological Survey, wrote in a peer-reviewed paper published in the Chinese journal Geological Reviews on November 29.
“Their unique high melting point, high density and excellent corrosion resistance provide important support for the development of new military technologies.
“Especially materials like zirconium diboride, thanks to their stability in extreme high-temperature environments, are widely used in the thermal protection systems of hypersonic aircraft and spacecraft. As a major importer and consumer of zirconium resources, China is facing severe challenges to its resource security.
“Amid the intensifying competition for global strategic resources, how to rationally allocate zirconium ore resources has become a key issue for safeguarding national security and promoting military technological progress.”

Kong is also a member of the big data and decision-making laboratory at the National University of Defence Technology of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) in Changsha, Hunan, which provides support and services to the Chinese military and government through rigorous analysis.
China’s hypersonic weapons are entering a period of explosive growth. At the China Airshow held in November, Chinese companies showcased for the first time hypersonic missiles available for sale to other countries.
These weapons can fly long distances at speeds exceeding five times the speed of sound, and can change direction, making them extremely difficult to fend off. An increasing number of countries and organisations, including Russia, North Korea, Iran and even the Houthi rebels in Yemen, are using such weapons to challenge the air defence systems of the US and its allies.
It is not just hypersonic weapons that benefit from this resource – China’s other hi-tech industries were also in urgent need of zirconium, Kong said.
China’s nuclear power generation capacity is growing at a rate of seven to eight new reactors per year, and a significant amount of zirconium is required for the control rods and shielding materials in these reactors. In the future, solid-state lithium batteries for high-performance, long-range electric vehicles may also require large quantities of this metal.
Kong noted that most of the zirconium ore imported by China is used to strengthen toilets and decorative ceramics. He predicts that the usage of zirconium in these inexpensive products will decline to meet the demands of the military and hi-tech industries.


With the competition over global zirconium resources then potentially heating up, Kong has suggested the Chinese government should start preparing for this contest as early as possible.
While Australia holds the largest reserves of zirconium, it is not the only potential supplier. South Africa and Indonesia – which are both members of the Brics bloc, an affiliation of emerging economies which includes China – also produce zirconium ore.
Sourcing zirconium from Australia could see bumps in the road. Australia is an ally of the US. On November 19, Canberra announced that it would accelerate cooperation with the US and Britain in developing hypersonic weapons to enhance its offensive and defensive capabilities.
However, China is also Australia’s largest trading partner, and the huge profits from selling ores to China play a crucial role in maintaining Australia’s high standard of living.
Although the US has been slower in the field of hypersonic technology, it recently successfully test-fired a hypersonic missile launched from a bomber. The Pentagon plans to use this weapon to attack China’s aircraft carriers and coastal cities in potential future military conflicts.
According to a survey conducted by the US Congress last year, thermal protection technologies and materials are currently the greatest challenges faced by the US hypersonic weapon programme.


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Australian gemstone used in China’s hypersonic weapons could be security risk: study

Australia holds the world’s largest reserves of zirconium which is used in hypersonic missiles for its thermal qualities. Photo: Shutterstock

Zircon is more than just a pretty gemstone; the metal zirconium can be extracted which has applications in hypersonic aircraft and nuclear power plants. Photo: Shutterstock

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A mineral with thermal qualities vital to hypersonic aircraft could soon be at the centre of the next US-China supply battle


A mineral with thermal qualities vital to hypersonic aircraft could soon be at the centre of the next US-China supply battle.
