The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) discourse and institutional norms on critical minerals focus on supply chain security, sustainable development and responsible business conduct (RBC), aiming to address the importance and potential risks of critical minerals in the global economy, green transition and national security. The following is a systematic analysis of the OECD's discourse, institutional framework and implementation, and provides suggestions from the neutral perspective of China's critical minerals practitioners.

3TG refers to four critical minerals: Tantalum, Tin, Tungsten and Gold, which are named after the initials of their names. These minerals are in the spotlight due to their importance in global supply chains and their potential "conflict mineral" attributes, particularly in industries such as electronics, aerospace, automotive, and jewelry.

1. Introduction: The Strategic Position of Critical Minerals in the Global Economy and Security

Analysis of latest tungsten market from Chinatungsten Online

Tungsten prices rose on Monday, with obvious supply-side push and lagging demand-side response. The tungsten market is characterized by an interplay of supply and demand dynamics alongside policy interventions, resulting in a situation where prices are high but trading volume is low.  Industry participants generally awaiting the release of long-term procurement prices from major tungsten enterprises for the latter half of the month.

China's tungsten industry holds a dominant position globally, with a tungsten output of approximately 65,000 tons in 2024, accounting for 85% of the global total (China Tungsten Industry Association, 2024). However, the industry faces shortcomings in high-end products and technology (high-end cutting tools account for only 20% of the market, China Machine Tool & Tool Builders' Association, 2024) and a low recycling rate (about 10%). Although there has been no explicit significant tariff increase on China’s critical minerals yet, starting in 2025, many Chinese industries will face challenges from the U.S. escalating tariff war (with U.S. tariffs on China reaching up to 245%), prompting a need to reassess strategic positioning.

Analysis of latest tungsten market from Chinatungsten Online

This week, the overall tungsten price showed a stable upward trend, mainly manifested in the tight supply and high price of tungsten ore, and the passive price increase of smelters and alloy enterprises due to cost-driven. 

Molybdenum market update on April 18, 2025

The domestic molybdenum market in China exhibits a rebound from an oversold state, with prices of molybdenum concentrate and molybdenum oxide rising by approximately 10 yuan/ton-degree, and ferromolybdenum prices recovering to the 210,000 yuan/ton threshold.

Recently, researchers have prepared a printable flexible triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) based on two-dimensional tungsten disulfide (WS₂), which is used for efficiently harvesting the ubiquitous mechanical energy in the environment and thus helps to explore greener and cleaner energy resources.

Researchers from Fuzhou University have made a breakthrough in the field of photocatalysis. They innovatively adopted the method of doping molybdenum (Mo) into the lattice of tungsten trioxide (WO₃), which significantly improved the photocatalytic performance of tungsten trioxide.

Recently, information from the official website of the Jiangxi Provincial Development and Reform Commission shows that in March 2025, among the 65 kinds of essential living goods for residents included in the monitoring list, the average prices of 13 items increased, 47 items decreased, and 5 items remained unchanged on a month-on-month basis. Among industrial production materials, the price of steel decreased, the price of tungsten concentrate decreased, the price of rare earths increased slightly, and the overall price of sand and gravel decreased slightly.