Tungsten Copper Price

Bloomberg: BMW, Ferrari, VW Cars Use Tungsten mined by terrorists

Details: Category: Tungsten's News; Published on Friday, 09 August 2013 12:03; Hits: 2343

Bloomberg Markets is reporting that BMW, Volkswagen and Ferrari have been using tungsten ore sourced from Colombia's FARC rebel terrorists. The extensive story focuses on Colombia's illegal mining trade and calls into question the provenance of the rare ore that is used not only in crankshaft parts production, but is also found in the world's computing and telecommunications industry for use in screens.

The tungsten ore is mined by the FARC (Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia, or Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia – People's Army), and exported to Pennsylvania, where it is refined. The tungsten ore is then sent over to Austria, where a company called Plansee turns it into a finished product. Now, it's important to note that we aren't talking about the world's supply of tungsten here. In 2012, Plansee's American refinery purchased 93.2 metric tons of tungsten, valued at $1.8 million. That's peanuts, with the entire Colombian tungsten mining industry producing just one percent of the world's supplies.

That doesn't make indirectly supporting FARC any more acceptable, though. BMW, VW and Ferrari are all committed to not accepting mineral supplies from the Democratic Republic of Congo, which is also in the grips of a guerrilla insurrection funded, in part, by illegal mining. The same commitment would figure to extend to Colombian mining, but as BMW points out, it's difficult for a multi-national manufacturer to know where every item in its supply chain comes from. A company spokesperson says as much, telling Bloomberg, "These few grams out of the billions of tons of raw materials passing through the BMW supply chain are of no practical relevance."

This response is perhaps somewhat blasé, but BMW, Ferrari and Volkswagen aren't directly negotiating with the FARC rebels, and we'd be stunned if the three manufacturers were even aware of where the tungsten was coming from. By the time it arrives in their respective factories, it's traveled from Colombia, to Pennsylvania to Austria, making for a rather difficult web of countries and networks to track. Even so, with Bloomberg drawing a spotlight on the activities, we're assuming a few phone calls are going to be made.

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Demands for Tungsten Ore Ascends

Details: Category: Tungsten's News; Published on Friday, 09 August 2013 09:26; Written by Yuri; Hits: 2238

Although China produces the most tungsten -- about 85 percent of global output -- authorities there impose tight controls on the metal to assure domestic manufacturers have enough. That’s forcing companies to scour the globe for mines elsewhere, the USGS says.

One company that buys and processes Colombian wolframite, or tungsten ore, supplies some of the world’s leading multinational corporations -- including the makers of BMWs, Ferraris, Porsches and Volkswagens as well as Siemens AG (SIE) and the producer of BIC pens, these companies say.

Apple Inc., Hewlett-Packard Co. (HPQ) and Samsung Electronics Co. purchase parts from a firm that buys from the company that imports tungsten ore from Colombia, company records show.

Since 2008, there have been 40 shipments of tungsten ore from Colombia by 14 companies, according to government export documents. Although none of the records from these shipments say the tungsten ore comes from FARC-run Tiger Hill, Colombian authorities are convinced that it does.

Cesar Melendez, the Environment Ministry’s director whose jurisdiction includes much of Colombia’s Amazon region, says the shippers are hiding the tungsten ore’s true origins.

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Ammonium Paratungstate Market (APT Market) On Aug 9,2013

Details: Category: Tungsten's News; Published on Friday, 09 August 2013 09:19; Written by Elva; Hits: 2213

China ammonium paratungstate market (APT market) sees lower offers.

According to the ammonium paratungstate market (APT market) participants in China, the ammonium paratungstate prices(APT prices) are stable this week, and the APT market runs slowly. But owing to the few buying activities, the APT market sees some lower offers.

A source from an APT factory based in South China expressed that the offers for APT are at RMB222,000-224,000t USD411-414mtu in the spot market this week, and the prices keep stable for a while.

You can visit the following links for more information about ammonium paratungstate prices(APT prices).

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Tungsten Carbide Powder Prices On Aug 9,2013

Details: Category: Tungsten's News; Published on Friday, 09 August 2013 09:22; Written by Elva; Hits: 2453

Downstream customers inactive in purchasing tungsten carbide powder.

The demand from the downstream market keeps weak and the customers are cautious in making deals with watching attitudes.

According to market participants, the metallurgical grade tantalum oxide prices are stable tentatively, but the market sees some lower offers.

You can visit the following links for more information about tungsten carbide powder prices.

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High Tungsten Concentrate Prices Could Drive Business from China

Details: Category: Tungsten's News; Published on Thursday, 08 August 2013 10:54; Hits: 2834

Ferro-tungsten and ammonium paratungstate (APT) production could move away from China in the long term if tungsten concentrate prices there continue to rise, sources told Metal Bulletin

“In the future, most demand will be covered outside China. The biggest customers in France, Austria and Germany will go elsewhere.” a trader told Metal Bulletin.

“The Chinese will be able to sell less and less on the European platform. It seems the only chance China has is to go more downstream,” he added.

Both ferro-tungsten and APT prices in Europe have risen steadily since the beginning of the year, as concentrate prices in China have soared as high as 158,000 yuan ($25,604) per tonne, from 150,000 yuan per tonne just a month previously.

However, ferro-tungsten prices have begun to lose ground in recent days, down from highs of $50 per kg to a range of $47.50-48.50 per kg, and market participants have suggested APT prices – now at $410-425 per mtu in Europe – could follow suit.

“I’ve spoken to a few partners [in China] and they’re definitely starting to say that if you really want business, you have to look at the price,” the trader said.

“I’m expecting the price to fall dramatically [after the European summer]. Right now, the demand is low because customers are on holiday until the end of August.”

Concentrate prices are also slightly down in Europe, according to a producer, which could help to stabilise the APT price.

“I’m not sure whether traders want to sell off material. I think some of them are expecting prices to drop, and maybe that’s why concentrate is quite cheap in Europe,” he added.

The tungsten market in general has been quiet, a second trader said, and only small tonnages have been changing hands.

“It’s more 5-10 tonne lots now. People are happy to clear up positions with odd lots,” she said.

Metal Bulletin’s European quotations for ferro-tungsten and APT remained unchanged on Wednesday August 6, at $47.50-48.50 per kg and $410-425 per mtu, respectively.

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