LONDON (Reuters) -The U.S. Defense Logistics Agency is planning to buy more than five million pounds of bismuth metal over the next five years to secure supplies of the material last held in the national stockpile nearly three decades ago.

Bismuth metal has numerous applications in metallurgy and defense, according to the agency, including in some ammunition, due to its ability to mimic lead.

The world’s largest bismuth producer is China, accounting for 13,000 metric tons of supplies last year or more than 80% of the global total, according to U.S. Geological Survey.

China has increasingly used export restrictions to tighten control over exports of critical minerals including rare earths, gallium and germanium – materials essential for defence and military equipment.

Its restrictions t

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