Ultra-low profile tungsten carbide gripper inserts are designed for ultra-low profile 0.14" (3.5mm) clamping with no dovetail workpiece preparation. These patented triangular grippers feature two rows of teeth at different angles with a 5° taper to maximize the pull-down effect, divide the clamping force, absorb vibration, and allow for high stability and secure workholding. Already integrated with the line of vises, the inserts are ideal for upgrading existing vise jaws and more.

With only 3.5mm of clamp surface needed to securely hold the workpiece, tungsten carbide gripper inserts are ideal for 5-axis machining operations. These durable inserts combine a tough-coated cemented carbide with specialized teeth and triangular shapes that penetrate materials including steel, hardened steel/titanium (up to 50HRC to 54HRC) and aluminum.

Tungsten carbide gripper inserts offer advantages over traditional clamping systems including exceptional clamping stability, no need for pre-machining or dovetailing workpieces, vibration dampening and allowing for very secure holding at lower clamping forces. This results in a higher cutting rate and less waste of materials than traditional clamping systems.

To address excessive production, Beijing has been promoting supply-side reforms, which government-led moves are underway to consolidate producers, slash output and build up reserves. And while those efforts have struggled to make progress in the steel, coal and aluminum industries, they are gradually bearing fruit in the rare metals industry.

In April, China increased its reserves of tungsten, a rare metal used in carbide cutting tools, by 10,000 tons, or roughly 10% of the country's annual output. Prices of ammonium paratungstate, an intermediate material used as a stand-in for tungsten in pricing, had been holding below $200 per 10kg since last autumn, but they have since risen to around $210.

In March, China's eight major mining companies said that they were cutting production for the current year by 15% on the year. A trading house official said the companies have since agreed to raise the target to 20%.

Thanks to government-led stockpiling efforts, prices of rare-earth metals used in the manufacture of high-tech products have been climbing of late. The international spot price of neodymium, used in high-performance magnets, stands at about $56 per kilogram, while that of dysprosium is about $265 per kilogram. Both are up by 3% to 10% since May.

As for why supply-side reforms are working with rare metals but not for other commodities, compared with the industry's smaller size, steel, which makes it easier for the government to take control. Consolidation efforts, cooperative production cuts and increased reserves are supporting prices.

Demand trends are another actor. Demand for rare-earth metals is generally strong across the globe for use in high-performance motors for electric vehicles. For antimony, however, demand from Japan and Western economies for use in home appliances and for housing-related purposes is largely weak. Demand for the metal is also falling in China and other countries as electric bicycles switch from lead batteries to lead calcium batteries. Likewise, tungsten demand for carbide tools is declining due to stagnating mine development.

In the rare metals market, supply-side factors are sending prices higher. Whether the upward momentum continues, however, will likely depend on changes in demand.

China’s tungsten concentrate prices are expected to average higher in 2017 preview thanks to improving demand, although oversupply – such as stocks held in the Fanya Metal Exchange – will continue to weigh on rises. Stock digestion is still the theme of the market for next year. But the range of price moves may be higher than this year as overall the market is in the process of recovery after it reached a historical low in 2015.

China produced 108,596 tonnes of tungsten concentrate in the first ten months of 2016, down 5.35% year-on-year, data from the country’s National Bureau of Statistics showed. 

Chinatungsten Online assessment for 65% content tungsten concentrate reached 72,000-75,000 yuan ($10,438-10,872) per tonne on Wednesday December 14, up by more than 15% in the year and up to 41% higher than its lowest level of 51,000-54,000 yuan per tonne on November 4, 2015. 

"The market price can’t stay below production costs for a long time; it’s not sustainable and is abnormal," a source from a local miner said. 

"Tungsten is an important strategic metal. I think its price is undervalued; the price increase this year is much smaller than those of other commodities," a tungsten products producer said. 

Average tungsten concentrate production costs in China are recognized at around 80,000 yuan per tonne, according to sources. 

Improved demand, consumption will support prices 
Tungsten concentrate market prices are expected to fluctuate between 75,000 and 80,000 yuan per tonne in 2017, higher than this year’s average of 68,000-70,000 yuan, thanks to consumption of low-priced inventory as well as improving demand.

Market participants expect the Chinese government to announce further plans to buy tungsten concentrate next year, after more than 30,500 tonnes of 65% content tungsten concentrate was purchased in 2016. China’s State Reserve Bureau (SRB) issued five tenders to buy tungsten concentrate in 2016, four of which were successful at reported prices of about 75,000-82,500 yuan per tonne. 

"I think price trend in next year will be similar to this year. Now the market-recognized price bottom for concentrate is about 65,000 yuan per tonne and APT(ammonium paratungstate) is around 105,000 yuan per tonne, once prices reach this level, players will enter the market to buy," a major trader said. 

"Due to the weak market last year and this year, most users kept their stocks at low levels. Now with decreased miner production, SRB’s purchases, and the consumption of some existing inventory, the price should rise somewhat next year," an APT smelter said. 

A Jiangxi-based trader echoed these views, saying that the supply of the raw material in overseas markets, such as Russia and Canada, would also support this price projection for 2017. 

In the first three quarters of this year, China’s tungsten products exports to Europe rose by 39.5% year-on-year, by 4.6% year-on-year to Japan and by 12.1% year-on-year to South Korea. Exports dropped 19.7% to the USA, according to data from China customs. 

Conversely, APT stocks owned by the failed Fanya Metal Exchange was described as a time bomb by market players and is one of the main factors that could suppress price rises for years to come. 

"I don’t think prices can increase much next year, because if prices rise too high it may draw Fanya’s 29,651 tonnes of APT stock into the market, as the country is still hoping to find a better way to return money to Fanya investors," a second trader based in Jiangxi said. 

"For now, no one knows [what will happen to] Fanya’s cargo, but it still is a big concern to the market," the smelter source added. 

Layered two-dimensional (2D) transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) — like tungsten disulfide or molybdenum disulfide — are attractive for electronics applications because you can manipulate their band gap simply by adjusting the number of layers used.