Tungsten (W): Uses, Supply Chain and Market
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Tungsten concentrates and ammonium paratungstate are converted into metal powder, carbide and chemicals, and about 60% of US consumption goes into cemented carbide parts. In 2025 China produced an estimated 67,000 t, 79% of world mine production (USGS world total: 85,000 t), according to the US Geological Survey (USGS). US net import reliance for tungsten in 2025 was more than 50%. Tungsten is on all four official critical minerals lists: the US, EU, Australian and Canadian.
$380/dmtu
tungsten concentrate, average in-warehouse Rotterdam in 2025 (+51% on 2024)
Which countries produce tungsten?
| Country | 2024 | 2025 (estimate) | Share of 2025 world | Reserves (t) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| China | 67,000 | 67,000 | 79% | 2,500,000 |
| Vietnam | 3,400 | 3,000 | 3.5% | 170,000 |
| Kazakhstan | None | 2,400 | 2.8% | NA |
| Korea, North | 1,900 | 2,000 | 2.3% | 29,000 |
| Russia | 1,500 | 2,000 | 2.3% | 400,000 |
| Bolivia | 1,700 | 1,700 | 2% | NA |
| Rwanda | 1,300 | 1,300 | 1.5% | NA |
| Australia | 920 | 1,000 | 1.2% | 570,000 |
| United States | None | None | - | NA |
| All other countries | 3,890 | 4,740 | 5.6% | 1,029,400 |
| World total (USGS, rounded) | 82,000 | 85,000 | 100% | >4,700,000 |
Source: USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026, Tungsten. Shares are calculated from the country figures and can differ by a point or two from percentages USGS states in its text, because USGS rounds its figures. NA means not available; Withheld means USGS withheld the figure to avoid disclosing company data.
How is tungsten mined and processed?
Seven US companies can convert tungsten concentrates, ammonium paratungstate (APT), tungsten oxide or scrap into tungsten metal powder, tungsten carbide powder or tungsten chemicals. Full page on how tungsten is mined and processed.
What is tungsten used for?
- Cemented carbide parts: an estimated 60% of US consumption, for cutting and wear-resistant applications in construction, metalworking, mining and oil and gas drilling
- Alloys and specialty steels: part of the remainder
- Electrical, electronic, heating, lighting and welding components: electrodes, filaments and wires
- Chemicals: for various applications
How much does tungsten cost?
| Price | Unit | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 (estimate) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tungsten concentrate, average in-warehouse Rotterdam | dollars per dry metric ton unit of tungsten trioxide | 225 | 275 | 258 | 252 | 380 |
Source: USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026, Tungsten. The 2025 figures are USGS estimates. Prices are annual averages of the series named in each row, so they are not live quotes.
USGS reports that Rotterdam prices rose during 2025 from $266 to $551 per metric ton unit for 65% concentrate and from $331 to $675 for ammonium paratungstate, after China imposed export controls on selected tungsten items in February.
Is tungsten a critical mineral?
Tungsten is on all four official critical minerals lists: the US, EU, Australian and Canadian. Each government builds its list with its own method, so a mineral can be critical in one place and not in another.
| Jurisdiction | Status |
|---|---|
| United States | Critical mineral (final 2025 list) |
| European Union | Critical and strategic |
| Australia | Critical minerals list |
| Canada | Critical |
Lists last checked against the primary publications on October 12, 2026. See the comparison of all four lists.
Export controls and trade measures
- China has required export licenses for tungsten since 2025 (USGS Table 4).
See the export controls tracker for dates and current status.
What are the substitutes for tungsten?
USGS names substitutes for 5 applications of tungsten, for example cemented tungsten carbides: cemented carbides based on molybdenum, niobium or titanium carbide, ceramics, cermets and tool steels; most options reduce rather than replace the tungsten used. Full tungsten substitutes page.
Can tungsten be recycled?
USGS withheld the amount of secondary tungsten produced and consumed in 2025 to avoid disclosing company proprietary data.
What are the supply risks and recent events for tungsten?
- End of 2024. The United States raised tariffs to 50% on several tungsten products from China under section 301(b) of the Trade Act of 1974.
- February 2025. China implemented new export controls on selected tungsten items, and prices rose sharply through 2025. China's consumption and imports of tungsten concentrates increased significantly.
- 2025. World mine production increased, especially from the start of production at the Boguty deposit in Kazakhstan. Projects in Nevada, New Brunswick and Yukon received Defense Production Act, Title III awards, and in October a joint venture between Kazakhstan and the United States to develop tungsten resources was announced.
US import sources, 2021 to 2024. Ores, concentrates and other forms: China, 26%; Germany, 14%; Bolivia, 8%; Vietnam, 8%; and other, 44%. (USGS)
Which tungsten projects are on official lists?
6 European Commission strategic projects and 2 US FAST-41 projects involve tungsten. Full tungsten projects page.
Which companies produce or process tungsten?
7 companies are profiled, including Xiamen Tungsten, Jiaxin International Resources Investment, Kennametal. Full tungsten companies page.
Frequently asked questions
What is tungsten used for?
Tungsten is used in cemented carbide parts, alloys and specialty steels and electrical, electronic, heating, lighting and welding components. Cemented carbide parts: an estimated 60% of US consumption, for cutting and wear-resistant applications in construction, metalworking, mining and oil and gas drilling.
Which country produces the most tungsten?
China produces the most tungsten: an estimated 67,000 t, or 79% of the world total, in 2025, according to the USGS mine production figures.
Is tungsten a critical mineral?
Yes. Tungsten is on all four official critical minerals lists: the US, EU, Australian and Canadian. Tungsten was already on the 2022 US list and stays on the final 2025 list of 60 minerals. US net import reliance for tungsten in 2025 was more than 50%.
How much does tungsten cost?
USGS reports the average 2025 price of tungsten at $380/dmtu (tungsten concentrate, average in-warehouse Rotterdam; +51% on 2024).
Sources
Read on October 13, 2026. Figures on this page come from these documents; where a number is an estimate, the source says so.
- USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026: Tungsten. Production, reserves, uses, substitutes, recycling and events
- USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026: introduction (Table 7 and Figures 10A and 10B). Net import reliance, leading producer and price changes for critical minerals
- USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026: introduction (Table 4, export controls by country)
- Federal Register: Final 2025 List of Critical Minerals
- EUR-Lex: Regulation (EU) 2024/1252
- Department of Industry, Science and Resources: Australia’s Critical Minerals List and Strategic Materials List
- Government of Canada: Canada’s critical minerals
- Permitting Council: current FAST-41 projects
- Xiamen Tungsten: 2025 annual report, in Chinese (24 April 2026)
- Jiaxin International Resources Investment: 2025 annual report (HKEXnews, 27 April 2026)
- Kennametal, Form 10-K for the year to June 2026 (filed 12 August 2026)
- Almonty Industries: Sangdong page
- Guardian Metal Resources: company website
- Fireweed Metals: news release of 13 December 2024
- Northcliff Resources: news release of 1 May 2025
Related topics
Tungsten companies
The companies page for tungsten.
How Tungsten is mined and refined
The mining and processing page for tungsten.
Tungsten mines and projects
The projects page for tungsten.
Tungsten substitutes
The substitutes page for tungsten.
China profile
Production, policy and projects in China.
Critical Minerals Lists Compared
The US, EU, Australian and Canadian lists side by side.
