China’s tungsten market held broadly stable on June 15, 2026, with participants in a wait-and-see mode as heavy rainfall tightens concentrate supply. Smelting and powder prices trade sideways, and scrap liquidity remains under pressure from wide bid-ask gaps.
Tungsten prices remained generally stable on Monday. According to Chinatungsten Online, market participants largely adopted a wait-and-see approach with limited trading initiative, awaiting news that might indicate a clear market direction.
Market overview: stable but cautious, concentrate supply tight
Heavy rainfall has persisted recently across regions stretching from southern Jiangnan to South China. Due to seasonal factors and traders’ reluctance to lower prices, the circulating supply of tungsten concentrate remains relatively tight, and sellers are holding firm on their asking prices.
Prices in the smelting and powder-making sectors are trading sideways, caught between cost support and demand constraints, with upstream and downstream segments trading primarily on an as-needed basis. Sentiment in the scrap tungsten market has fluctuated; significant discrepancies between buying and selling price expectations have dampened overall liquidity, leaving the market stable but under pressure.
Price table — June 15, 2026 (Chinatungsten Online)
The following table summarizes the latest tungsten product prices reported by Chinatungsten Online as of press time. “From peak” and year-to-date changes follow the source text.
| Product | Price | YTD Change |
|---|---|---|
| 65% wolframite concentrate | RMB 525,000/ton | +14.1% YTD |
| 65% scheelite concentrate | RMB 524,000/ton | +14.2% YTD |
| Ammonium paratungstate (APT) | RMB 800,000/ton | +19.4% YTD |
| European APT | USD 2,900–3,180/mtu (≈ RMB 1,735,000–1,902,000)/ton (equiv.) | +230.4% YTD |
| Tungsten powder | RMB 1,280/kg | +18.5% YTD |
| Tungsten carbide powder | RMB 1,230/kg | +18.3% YTD |
| Cobalt powder | RMB 540/kg | +3.9% YTD |
| 70% ferrotungsten | RMB 780,000/ton | +20.0% YTD |
| European ferrotungsten | USD 200–235/kg W (≈ RMB 946,000–1,112,000)/ton (equiv.) | +58.2% YTD |
| Scrap tungsten carbide rods | RMB 780/kg | +30.0% YTD |
| Scrap tungsten carbide drill bits | RMB 730/kg | +25.9% YTD |
Source: Chinatungsten Online · YTD = Year-to-date change from Jan 1, 2026 · WoW = Week-on-week
What this means for solid carbide tool buyers
- Concentrates at RMB 525,000/524,000 per ton and APT at RMB 800,000 are well above early-June references, keeping raw-material cost pressure on carbide drill and end mill suppliers despite the stable headline tone.
- Tungsten powder at RMB 1,280/kg and tungsten carbide powder at RMB 1,230/kg reflect double-digit year-to-date gains, so buyers should confirm whether tool quotes still use current powder assumptions.
- Seasonal rainfall is tightening concentrate circulation; if ore supply stays scarce, smelting and powder prices may firm even while overall trading remains cautious.
- Scrap tungsten carbide liquidity is under pressure from wide bid-ask gaps, so buyers recycling rods or drill bits should track scrap references separately from concentrate and powder quotes.
- With the market in wait-and-see mode, prioritize urgent carbide drill and end mill sizes and confirm quote validity rather than building speculative inventory.
Procurement recommendation
Use the current stable-but-firm price band to refresh standard carbide tool cost assumptions, compare quote validity across suppliers, and consolidate repeat sizes. If concentrates stay tight through the rainy season, buyers may want to secure critical carbide drill, end mill and custom tooling orders before powder quotes adjust again.
Our Solid Carbide Tools — Factory Direct from Changzhou
Coolant-thru solid carbide drills for stable deep drilling, chip evacuation and heat control with factory-direct quoting.
Standard solid carbide drills for steel, stainless, cast iron and general precision holemaking.
Factory-ground square end mills for slotting and profiling with coating options for aluminium and steels.
Ball nose carbide end mills for contour machining, mould work and 3D surface finishing.
Corner radius carbide end mills for stronger cutting edges and stable semi-finishing or finishing.
Outlook
The tungsten market may need a clearer demand signal before the wait-and-see mood eases. Concentrate supply remains tight on seasonal rainfall, sellers are holding firm, and scrap liquidity is fragile, so powder and carbide rod assumptions could shift quickly if sentiment turns.
Solid Carbide Direct will continue tracking tungsten concentrates, APT, tungsten powder, tungsten carbide powder, cobalt powder, ferrotungsten and scrap indicators to help machining buyers plan raw-material-sensitive tooling budgets.
Tags