Tesla CEO Elon Musk said that the production of humanoid Optimus robots has been disrupted due to China's restrictions on exporting rare earth magnets, Reuters reports.
China wants to ensure that these magnets are not used for military purposes. Musk added that the robots are not weapons; the magnets are used in humanoid robots.
Musk also said that Tesla is now cooperating with the Chinese government to obtain an export license.
It should be noted that this month, China introduced restrictions on the export of rare earth metals in response to US tariffs. The restrictions apply not only to raw minerals but also to finished magnets and other products that are difficult to replace. From now on, exporters must obtain an export license from China's Ministry of Commerce, which is a lengthy and not very transparent process that can take several weeks to several months.
