Chinese Acquisition of Mineral Resources to Enhance Tungsten Carbide Development

Aero engine is a one of the most difficult cutting-edge technology to be conquered in aviation fields. For decades, domestic researchers have been unable to fully grasp the researchers of modern aviation engine production and development. The most important reason is in the process of material manufacturing, such as low production and quality level in high-temperature alloys and tungsten carbide. The core indicator of aero engine is thrust-weight ratio, and in order to improve the thrust-weight ratio, we should ensure the capacity of high-temperature turbine blade material improved. Every increase of temperature of 100 degrees Celsius, thrust-weight ratio can be increased by 10%.

In general, a military turbine engine in which a majority of funds invested into research and development of materials. The main structure of aircraft engines, the application of large parts of high-temperature alloys and tungsten carbide, and their manufacture are inseparable from the participation of a rare earth metal. China’s rare earth reservation is the first place in the world, but relatively small reservations of rare metals in the manufacture of high-end aero engine indispensable Ni, Co-based alloys and other long-term controlled by others. But the kinds of situation is expected to be broken, a domestic Molybdenum price $ 2.65 billion from the international mining giant acquired a 56% stake in the largest copper and cobalt Congo (DRC), the mine bears more than 28 million tons of copper and 300 tons of cobalt ore, with an annual capacity of 20.4 tons of copper and 16,000 tons of cobalt., reported by Reuters.

Broadly speaking, tungsten carbide is one of super hard materials made of the hard refractory metal compound and binder phase produced by powder metallurgy process (Powder Metallurgy, PM). From the narrow sense, usually refers to tungsten carbide WC-Co alloy, which has high hardness, high melting point, high strength and excellent wear and corrosion resistance. Even at 1000 ℃ still have high hardness, which can be widely used in cutting tool material, such as turning, milling, planer, drill, boring knives for cutting cast iron, nonferrous metals, plastics, chemical fiber, graphite, glass, stone and ordinary steel can also be used to cut the heat material difficult to machine steel, stainless steel, high manganese steel, tool steel. Take Co as an example, it is a key ingredient in the production of high-temperature alloys, tungsten carbide wear and other materials with wear and corrosion resistance. So it has a broad prospect in military and aero industries, such as armor-piercing ammunition, armored vehicles, aerospace engine.

tungsten carbide products

 

Denitration and Desulfurization System Uses Tungsten Trioxide Denitration Catalyst

June 6, an eco-friendly company in China public offered of 188 million shares of stock in the New Third Board, and raised 9.964 million RMB of funds. It is reported that most of the funds will be used for the developing of flue gas desulfurization and denitration system equipment of the steel industry and the remainder of the funds will be used for the supplement of the production flow.
 
For a long time, China's denitration catalyst production technology has been in a monopoly situation in Europe, USA, Japan and other developed countries, the price of imported denitration equipment and tungsten trioxide denitration catalyst is very expensive, which results in flue gas denitrification costs staying high. Domestic denitration catalyst regeneration is a potential emerging market, and has not yet officially started. With the emphasis on environmental issues increasing, our state supports the innovation of desulfurization and denitration; energy saving technology research and development of scientific and technological innovation has become a hot spot, many related researchers unremitting commitment to the research of denitration catalyst, desulfurization and denitration system, and have already obtained the corresponding results, driven the Chinese overall development of flue gas denitrification technology and industry.
selective catalyst reduction
 
SCR denitration technology as an efficient flue gas denitrification technology, has stood out in a number of different aspects of technology with its reliable operating efficiency, also it has severed in coal-fired plants for over 30 years, played a significant role. Tungsten trioxide denitration catalyst is a core part of the SCR denitration technology, which determines the overall denitration system efficiency and economy. Wherein the component of tungsten trioxide (commonly known as tungsten oxide, tungsten anhydride), often participates into the denitration catalyst as a co-catalyst, and mainly plays a role of improving the ability to adapt to temperature and thermal stability of titanium dioxide; while avoids catalyst deactivate due to the sintering when under the high temperature for a short time; in addition, the tungsten trioxide can improve the anti-sulfide poisoning of denitration catalyst, thereby enhancing the running efficiency of the catalyst.

 

China Eight Tungsten Enterprises 3rd Meeting Will be Held to Promote Tungsten Market

In June 7th China large-scale tungsten mining enterprises will get together in Chaozhou to hold the third meeting. These enterprises has 27 affiliated mine, and more than 50% tungsten concentrate was produced by these companies’ affiliated mine. This is the third time meeting from November 2015 to February 2016.

The first meeting of eight tungsten companies were held in Xiamen,Fujian in November 2015 when tungsten price was decline sharply and the whole economical situation is not good. In this meeting, they decided to limit tungsten concentrate production by 20%, till the end of January 2016 stopped to supply tungsten concentrate. The one of tungsten mines which supplies the larges tungsten concentrate in China domestic market stopped supplied these raw materials within two months, so the market was short in supply and the raw material was tension. Supported by these large-scale companies, other companies also stopped to produce tungsten raw material. Over the course of a month the price sharply rebounded, to mid-December, 2015, tungsten concentrate price reached 65,000 RMB / ton, and monthly price raised was 15,000 RMB / ton.

tungsten concentrate

The second meeting was held in Guangzhou in February 2016. At that time tungsten concentrates was 65,000 RMB for each ton. But when the Spring Festival was coming the market demand was poor, and many companies needed cash for circulation, so they needed to sale the raw material for cash circulation and the price went to fell down. In addition, the market confidence frustrated once again and tungsten concentrate prices dropped again. Based on this, the eight tungsten enterprises in Guangzhou was decided reduced 2016 tungsten concentrate domestic production by 15%, and in February the price was 75,000 RMB for each ton. Besides, these companies actively participated in the State Reserve Bureau purchasing and storage business, which was good for tungsten market recovery. As we knew, at the beginning of 2016, the market situation was not good and the market demand did not improve, so the price went up supported by raw materials limitation and tungsten mine slow re-production. When tungsten concentrate supply became tension, then the tungsten concentrate price increased which raised 10,000 RMB for each ton. In May 2016, the price of tungsten concentrates was more than 75,000 RMB for each ton.

June 7, the third meeting of the eight tungsten companies will be held in Chaozhou. Currently tungsten price is continues to fall down, so this meeting plays an important significant for tungsten market recovery. In Eight tungsten companies, there are five companies produce the whole tungsten products which is form tungsten concentrate to finished tungsten products. Two companies produce raw material to melting products and only one company produces tungsten ore. In addition, from the nature point of view, there are two state-owned enterprises and two private enterprises. From the industrial point of view, the companies who run a whole production chain can withstand high-risk and has diverse profit model, but tungsten ore losses will directly affect the company's profits and direct damage to the core interests. On the other hand, the state-owned enterprises will take on more social responsibility and positive response to the government to protect the important task of national strategic resource, but also be able to take a good hope to recover tungsten market and to increase tungsten concentrate prices.

The first two meetings play an important role on tungsten market recovery, so the 3rd meeting is expected to boost tungsten market confidence, soothing pessimism. In this meeting, they will introduce the positive measures to promote the market including limit production, support value, restricted selling and so on. And China government may introduce relevant policies to promote market and the government will continue to promote tungsten concentrate purchasing and storage plan.

It is expected that the tungsten price will slight increase after this meeting, but it will not increase sharply, and this is mainly because of the late summer market demand is light. Besides, if the price is too high will bring high-priced stock reflux to the market, making price fall down, so some the price should slight fluctuations on the basis of current price.

Tungsten market: the limit production of eight tungsten enterprises 3rd meeting will be held, and many manufacturers hold see and wait attitude. Affected by the whole economic situation, many tungsten manufacturers adjustment is insufficient, so there are little inquires. The whole tungsten market operates stable with slight decline.

Rare earth market: rare earth price is stable. At the eve of State Reserve Bureau meeting, secondary market is hot, but rare earth fundamental is stable without large change, which is a significant contrast. So the suppliers and buyers should clam down and wait and see.

Molybdenum market: international molybdenum price continues to fall down, and China domestic price is stable. The whole turnover of molybdenum is not too much, many manufacturers hold see and wait attitude, so the market at the stalemate situation, it is expected that the price has possibility to go up. 

 

FN-2G Tungsten Trioxide Denitration Catalyst

According to the reports, a petrochemical company in China has used the tungsten trioxide contained of FN-2G denitration catalyst, up to now, the coal-fired boiler denitration device has been continually run stable for more than two years, with its nitrogen oxides (NOx) removal rate of more than 90%, and the ammonia escape concentration of less than 2 milligrams per cubic meter. It is reported that three of the 220 t / h coal-fired boilers in the company have used this coal-fired boiler flue gas denitrification technology, and the lowest concentration of nitrogen oxides in the flue gas can achieve to 20mg/m3 after purification, which meets the national and local pollutant emission standards. According to statistics, after this project carried out, the nitrogen oxide emissions would be reduced by about 2867 tons, which effectively improves surrounding air quality of the company and plays a good social benefit.

coal fired boiler flue gas denitrification
 
Since China has been increasingly strict on the environmental regulations and included the coal-fired boiler emission standards in the environmental binding targets, the handling environmental protection issue of coal-fired boiler flue gas has gotten a lot of attention. According to the status quo of the boiler flue gas properties in China, researchers have proposed a low NOx combustion air staging and selective catalytic reduction flue gas denitrification combined process technology solutions, and they also have developed a selective catalytic reduction of coal-fired boiler flue gas denitrification (SCR) technology, boilers selective catalytic reduction reactor flue gas, ammonia injection components and other key equipment and a series of advanced technology and equipment. In addition, the researchers have developed the FN-2G denitration catalyst, which takes nano titanium dioxide as the carrier, vanadium pentoxide, tungsten trioxide and other metal oxides as an active ingredients, through analyzing the composition of the pollutants in the coal-fired boiler flue gas.
 
Nitrogen oxide is one of the major air pollutants, large amounts of NOx emit directly into the air will cause an acid rain, etc., and bring a large pressure to the environment, also do some damages to the human body, and animals. Currently, the widespread use of mature technology is the SCR technology, in which tungsten trioxide denitration catalyst is suggested to be the core, and translate NOx into nitrogen and water under the presence of ammonia, thus to achieve NOx removing.

 

Withdraw from European Union of Britain will Influence the Foreign Trade of Tungsten Heater

Currently, there is only less than a month before the referendum for withdrawing from the European Union of Britain. The EU is an economic-political union of 28 member states that are located primarily in Europe. Every country maintains a positive attitude to this referendum, and the majority of investors believe that the chance to withdraw from the EU of Britain is small. Since British Prime Minister David Cameron announced that referendum would  be held in June 23, the pound has been in a state of sharp fluctuations, showing that the event is bound to bring about a crisis for the international economy. So if Britain really withdraws from the European Union, will it have any effect to China. The following are briefly discussions.

Firstly, the European debt crisis that broke out before has brought a great impact to China's economy, however, if Britain whose economic trends is better decides to draw out EU at present, which is bound to hamper the recovery of EU economy, even it can lead to the setback of EU economic. In this situation, EU will want to take a more protectionist policy in international trade, which would hinder bilateral trade between China and the EU countries. Thereby impeding the export of tungsten heater to European countries.

Secondly, if Britain withdraws from EU, Britain cannot be constrained by many policies of this organization, and then the related research on high technology of Britain will be unhindered flow into China. Therefore, it would hit many domestic related industries, which will have a negative impact on the development of related businesses in China. And some enterprises which produce tungsten heater may be eliminated because of the backward technology. On the other hand, the pound may depreciate because of the exit, while in the process of RMB internationalization is accelerating, which will lead to the foreign exchange market turbulence.

EU and tungsten heater

 

WeChat