TUNGSTEN

(Data in metric tons of tungsten content unless otherwise noted)

Domestic Production and Use: There has been no known domestic commercial production of tungsten
concentrates since 2015. Approximately six companies in the United States used chemical processes to convert
tungsten concentrates, ammonium paratungstate (APT), tungsten oxide, and (or) scrap to tungsten metal powder,
tungsten carbide powder, and (or) tungsten chemicals. Nearly 60% of the tungsten used in the United States was
used in cemented carbide parts for cutting and wear-resistant applications, primarily in the construction,
metalworking, mining, and oil and gas drilling industries. The remaining tungsten was used to make various alloys
and specialty steels; electrodes, filaments, wires, and other components for electrical, electronic, heating, lighting,
and welding applications; and chemicals for various applications. The estimated value of apparent consumption in
2020 was approximately $500 million.

Salient Statistics—United States: 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020e

Production:
Mine — — — — —
Secondary W W W W W
Imports for consumption:
Concentrate 3,580 3,920 4,050 2,760 2,000
Other forms1 6,300 9,780 10,400 11,100 9,000
Exports:
Concentrate 183 532 284 584 300
Other forms2 3,200 3,010 3,210 2,780 2,500
Shipments from Government stockpile:
Concentrate — 1,460 1,180 663 700
Other forms — — — — 20
Consumption:
Reported, concentrate W W W W W
Apparent,3 all forms W W W W W
Price,4 concentrate, average U.S. spot market,
dollars per metric ton unit of tungsten trioxide5 148 245 326 270 270
Stocks, industry, concentrate and other forms, yearend W W W W W
Net import reliance6 as a percentage of
apparent consumption >25 >50 >50 >50 >50

Recycling: The estimated quantity of secondary tungsten produced and the amount consumed from secondary
sources by processors and end users in 2020 were withheld to avoid disclosing company proprietary data.

Import Sources (2016–19): Tungsten contained in ores and concentrates, intermediate and primary products,
wrought and unwrought tungsten, and waste and scrap: China, 32%; Bolivia, 9%; Germany, 9%; Austria, 5%; and
other, 45%.

Tariff: Item Number Normal Trade Relations

12–31–20
Ores 2611.00.3000 Free.
Concentrates 2611.00.6000 37.5¢/kg tungsten content.
Tungsten oxides 2825.90.3000 5.5% ad val.
Ammonium tungstates 2841.80.0010 5.5% ad val.
Tungsten carbides 2849.90.3000 5.5% ad val.
Ferrotungsten 7202.80.0000 5.6% ad val.
Tungsten powders 8101.10.0000 7.0% ad val.
Tungsten waste and scrap 8101.97.0000 2.8% ad val.

Depletion Allowance: 22% (domestic), 14% (foreign).

Government Stockpile:7
FY 2020 FY 2021
Inventory Potential Potential Potential Potential
Material as of 9–30–20 acquisitions disposals acquisitions disposals
Metal powder 107 — 125 — 125
Ores and concentrates 7,660 — 1,360 — 1,360
Tungsten alloys, gross weight8 6 5 — 5 —
Prepared by Kim B. Shedd [(703) 648–4974, kshedd@usgs.gov]
 TUNGSTEN
Events, Trends, and Issues: World tungsten supply was dominated by production in China and exports from China.
China’s Government regulated its tungsten industry by limiting the number of mining and export licenses, imposing
quotas on concentrate production, and placing constraints on mining and processing. In 2020, production of tungsten
concentrate outside China was expected to remain at less than 20% of world production. Scrap continued to be an
important source of raw material for the tungsten industry worldwide.

China was the world’s leading tungsten consumer. Analysts forecast global tungsten consumption in 2020 will be less
than that in 2019 as a result of the impacts of the global COVID-19 pandemic on the global economy and industrial
production, particularly tungsten consuming end-use sectors such as the automotive, commercial aerospace, and oil
and gas drilling industries. The decrease in tungsten consumption in 2020 is expected to result in a market surplus.
During March and April 2020, most prices of tungsten concentrates and downstream tungsten materials decreased in
response to reduced demand; prices then stabilized or gradually trended upward as the year progressed.

World Mine Production and Reserves: Reserves for Mongolia and Russia were revised based on Government
reports.

Mine production Reserves9

2019 2020e
United States — — NA
Austria 892 890 10,000
Bolivia 1,060 1,400 NA
China 69,000 69,000 1,900,000
Korea, North 1,130 500 29,000
Mongolia 1,900 1,900 4,300
Portugal 518 680 3,100
Russia 2,200 2,200 400,000
Rwanda 900 1,000 NA
Spain 603 800 54,000
Vietnam 4,500 4,300 95,000
Other countries 1,070 1,000 880,000
World total (rounded) 83,800 84,000 3,400,000

World Resources:9 World tungsten resources are geographically widespread. China ranks first in the world in terms
of tungsten resources and reserves and has some of the largest deposits. Canada, Kazakhstan, Russia, and the
United States also have significant tungsten resources.

Substitutes: Potential substitutes for cemented tungsten carbides include cemented carbides based on molybdenum
carbide, niobium carbide, or titanium carbide; ceramics; ceramic-metallic composites (cermets); and tool steels. Most
of these options reduce, rather than replace, the amount of tungsten used. Potential substitutes for other applications
are as follows: molybdenum for certain tungsten mill products; molybdenum steels for tungsten steels, although most
molybdenum steels still contain tungsten; lighting based on carbon nanotube filaments, induction technology, and
light-emitting diodes for lighting based on tungsten electrodes or filaments; depleted uranium or lead for tungsten or
tungsten alloys in applications requiring high density or the ability to shield radiation; and depleted uranium alloys or
hardened steel for cemented tungsten carbides or tungsten alloys in armor-piercing projectiles. In some applications,
substitution would result in increased cost or a loss in product performance.

e
Estimated. NA Not available. W Withheld to avoid disclosing company proprietary data. — Zero.
1
Includes ammonium and other tungstates; ferrotungsten; tungsten carbides; tungsten metal powders; tungsten oxides, chloride, and other
tungsten compounds; unwrought tungsten; wrought tungsten forms; and tungsten waste and scrap.
2
Includes ammonium and other tungstates, ferrotungsten, tungsten carbides, tungsten metal powders, unwrought tungsten, wrought tungsten
forms, and tungsten waste and scrap.
3
Defined as mine production + secondary production + imports – exports + adjustments for Government and industry stock changes.
4
Source: Platts Metals Week.
5
A metric ton unit of tungsten trioxide contains 7.93 kilograms of tungsten.
6
Defined as imports – exports + adjustments for Government and industry stock changes.
7
See Appendix B for definitions.
8
Inventory includes tungsten alloys and tungsten-rhenium metal; potential acquisitions are tungsten-rhenium metal only.
9
See Appendix C for resource and reserve definitions and information concerning data sources.

U.S. Geological Survey, Mineral Commodity Summaries, January 2021