Hazelwood Resources was one step closer to starting ferro-tungsten production at its ATC ferro-tungsten project, in Vietnam, after successfully installing the first fill of ferrot-ungsten metal into the plant’s furnace.
The ferro-tungsten metal would be retained in the furnace during operations to protect the furnace shell from extreme temperatures associated with the production of the alloy.

Hazelwood said this week that hot commissioning and first production was scheduled for the end of this month, and noted that all of the production workforce was currently on site, undergoing training and making preparations for production.

All of the feedstock required for a start-up of production had also been secured, and the final lots were being cleared through customs.

Stage 1 of the ATC plant had a nameplate capacity of 4 000 t/y of ferro-tungsten alloy, equivalent to 3 000 t/y of contained tungsten. A second stage, if completed, would have sufficient capacity to supply around 25% of the world’s ferro-tungsten.

The ATC ferro-tungsten project is the largest-capacity plant outside of China.

Tungsten Manufacturer & Supplier: Chinatungsten Online - http://www.chinatungsten.com
Tel.: 86 592 5129696; Fax: 86 592 5129797
Email: sales@chinatungsten.com
Tungsten News & Tungsten Prices, 3G Version: http://3g.chinatungsten.com
Tungsten News & Tungsten Prices, WML Version: http://m.chinatungsten.com

Ferro-tungsten producer Hazelwood has started the hot commissioning of its ATC ferro-tungsten project, in Vietnam.

The company reported on Thursday that following construction of the project in 2011/12, its subsidiary Asia Tungsten Products finalised preparations for production by securing all the necessary raw materials and inventories over the past month, which resulted in the start of the hot commissioning phase.

First production of ferro-tungsten was now expected within the next seven days.

“This is more than conceptual in nature. Today we start as a new supplier of an important strategic metal,” said Hazelwood MD Terry Butler-Blaxell.“We can become the leading player in the speciality metals. I have nothing but praise for those involved in the development of this project, and for the positive environment for doing business in the Socialist Republic of Vietnam,” he added.

First sales revenue from the ATC plant was expected in April, and all ferro-tungsten produced would be distributed under a sales agency agreement.

Stage 1 of the ATC plant had a nameplate capacity of 4 000 t/y of ferro-tungsten alloy, equivalent to 3 000 t/y of contained tungsten. A second stage, if completed, would have sufficient capacity to supply around 25% of the world’s ferro-tungsten.

Hazelwood noted that the project was constructed under budget and represented a capital-efficient entry into speciality metal production with the opportunity to launch into other downstream processing ventures and potential future vertical integration with Hazelwood’s primary tungsten projects, in Western Australia.

Meanwhile, the company noted that restocking had started for the next phase of the production campaign, which would follow on from the successful completion of the first production trial.

Tungsten Manufacturer & Supplier: Chinatungsten Online - http://www.chinatungsten.com
Tel.: 86 592 5129696; Fax: 86 592 5129797
Email:  sales@chinatungsten.com
Tungsten News & Tungsten Prices, 3G Version: http://3g.chinatungsten.com
Tungsten News & Tungsten Prices, WML Version: http://m.chinatungsten.com

From late March, the tungsten concentrate prices moved up gradually because some companies purchased materials in relatively large quantities, and the tungsten concertrate market showed the uptrend. Many tungsten concentrate suppliers hold offers firm and even increase slightly, but the trading volume does not improve obviously with the soft demand.

 Tungsten concentrate market shows uptrend. The offers are increasing, but the transaction price moves up slowly. He said that the offers for wolframite 60% are at RMB120,000-122,000/t (USD295-300/mtu), and some offers are higher in the spot market.

The source added that the trading volume does not recover obviously, and many downstream customers still purchase from hand to mouth. It is expected that the tungsten prices will be firm and increase further as the suppliers do not eager to sell materials with the firm offers.

An end-user said that they purchased a batch of wolframite 55% at RMB118,000/t(USD290/mtu) late last month. The offers increase to around RMB118,500-119,000/t (USD292-293/mtu) this week, and some offers are higher in the spot market.

The source expressed that under the current tungsten concentrate prices, they have to make offers for APT at RMB181,000-182,000/t (USD327-329/mtu). However, the customers are cautious in making deals, and watch the market for a while. Looking ahead, he said that the tungsten concentrate market will go up slightly in the near future.

Tungsten Manufacturer & Supplier: Chinatungsten Online - http://www.chinatungsten.com
Tel.: 86 592 5129696; Fax: 86 592 5129797
Email: sales@chinatungsten.com
Tungsten News & Tungsten Prices, 3G Version: http://3g.chinatungsten.com
Tungsten News & Tungsten Prices, WML Version: http://m.chinatungsten.com

European suppliers handling Central African origin tungsten concentrate explained that a slight drop in buying activity during the second half of last week had been expected due to the Qingming festival in China meaning many tungsten plants temporarily slowed activities.

However, sources stated that on the whole demand from buyers in Asia remains strong, and with domestic China tungsten concentrate figures holding firm in recent weeks, the tungsten concentrate 50%min WO₃ seen last week between USD250-260mtu CIF China are very appealing to buyers. 

You can visit the following links for more information about tungsten concentrate prices. Thank you very much!

Tungsten Manufacturer & Supplier: Chinatungsten Online - http://www.chinatungsten.com
Tel.: 86 592 5129696; Fax: 86 592 5129797
Email: sales@chinatungsten.com
Tungsten News & Tungsten Prices, 3G Version: http://3g.chinatungsten.com
Tungsten News & Tungsten Prices, WML Version: http://m.chinatungsten.com

Tungsten carbide is an inorganic chemical compound that contains equal numbers of tungsten and carbon atoms. It is sometimes colloquially referred to as simply "carbide." In its most basic form, it is a fine gray powder, but it can be pressed and formed into shapes for use in industrial machinery, tools, abrasives, as well as men's jewelry.

Tungsten carbide powder market continues to be quiet now as many China market participants just go back to the market. The trading volume keeps at low level.

Owing to the increasing raw materials prices, the tungsten carbide powder prices increase slightly. But the downstream customers are cautious in making deals now. 

European producers of tungsten carbide 99.7%min held sale prices stable between EUR45.00-47.00kg d.d.p depending on grade and grain size through the second half of March.

However, despite another month of poor manufacturing output and dwindling levels of new orders across the eurozone in March, European prices of tungsten carbide 99.7%min look set to increase closer to EUR48.00kg d.d.p in the early stages of Q2 2013 due to a delayed reaction to a sharp pickup of Ammonium Paratungstate prices in February, and growing downstream demand from manufactures producing parts for the mining industry. 

The trading volume is small in the tungsten scrap market and the tungsten scrap market moves slowly.

It is expected that the tungsten scrap market will be inactive in the near future with the low demand. A recycler based in Hunan, whose trading volume is around 20 tons per month, expressed that tungsten scraps price kept stable in the recent day.

Tungsten electrode market is quiet as the downstream customers are inactive in making deals. Tungsten electrode prices are stable tentatively now. A source from a tungsten electrode factory, with an output of around 10 tons per month, noted that they mainly dealt with the old orders in the recent days. 

European ferro-tungsten prices have experienced a somewhat remarkable turnaround in recent days, with offering prices increasing almost USD4.00kg W in a little over 10 days to range between USD41.50-42.50kg W in warehouse Rotterdam as of Wednesday.

The European market had been in a depressed state through much of Q1, with figures falling on a weekly basis, reaching the lows of USD38.50kg W in warehouse Rotterdam two weeks ago. However, a sudden tightness in the availability of prompt release material in Rotterdam last week, caused by a delay to shipments of material from Asia during March.

You can visit the following links for more information about ferro-tungsten prices. Thank you very much!

The real demand from the downstream markets does not recover. However, as some companies make purchase, the tungsten concentrate prices are pushed up. Currently, the tungsten concentrate suppliers do not eager to sell materials, and watch the market for a while.

A source from a tungsten concentrate factory based in Hunan, whose regular capacity is around 300 tons per month, noted that the tungsten concentrate market is inactive. He said that they make offers for scheelite 60% at RMB117,000-118,000/t (USD288-290/mtu) this week, which increased slightly compared with those of last week. He said that inquires are few in the spot market, they mainly deal with the long-term orders.

The source told Asian Metal that the tungsten concentrate market is quiet as the demand from the downstream markets does not pick up. But the tungsten concentrate offers increase as some companies purchase materials. Looking ahead, he thinks that the market will be quiet in a short time.

An end-user based in South China expressed that the offers for tungsten concentrate move up this week. He said that they receive the offers for wolframite 55-60% at RMB117,000-119,000/t (USD288-293/mtu), and some offers are even at RMB120,000/t (USD295/mtu). He said that they only purchased a batch of wolframite 55% at RMB117,000/t (USD288/mtu) last week, and will watch the market for a while.

The source said that the APT offers increase accordingly, but the downstream customers are inactive in making deals. He said that they raise offers for APT to RMB179,000/t (USD324/mtu), but the customers are willing to accept the prices at RMB177,000/t (USD320/mtu). Looking ahead, he said that as the demand from the downstream customers is weak, the market will not rebound obviously in a short time.

With two tungsten projects slated for production within the next few weeks, Vietnam is set to play a more significant role in the tungsten market.

With its 60-percent stake, Hazelwood Resources (ASX:HAZ) possesses the majority interest of Asia Tungsten Products, which owns ATC, a new ferrotungsten refinery in Vihn Bao. Hazelwood hopes to eventually become a vertically integrated ferrotungsten producer and is set to take a major step toward achieving that goal by bringing ATC online.

You can visit the following links for more news about tungsten. Thank you very much!