Analysis of latest tungsten market from Chinatungsten Online

Tungsten markets globally were squeezed from oversupply and lack of demand from the automotive, cemented carbide and special alloys industries, resulting in falling prices. The sharpest decline was noted in China, the world's top producer.

China rare earth prices remained weak adjustment in the week ended on Friday July 19, 2019. In the light rare earth market, affected by high temperature and heavy rains, downstream enterprises are not active in taking orders. Although some sellers sell product at low prices, most of purchasers remain cautious. For medium and heavy rare earth market, the environmental protection inspection results in oversupply and traders are optimistic. 

Molybdenum market quotation in China: the latest prices of ferromolybdenum, ammonium molybdate and ammonium heptamolvbdate rise slightly on good performance in the market. The tight supply of tungsten concentrate makes businesses raise offers; steel mills are active in tender of ferro molybdenum with increased trading; the high cost also boosts molybdenum chemical and product market with good trading atmosphere. 

Earth's scorching core is not a loner — it has been caught mingling with other, underworldly layers. That's according to a new study that found the innermost part of the planet leaks some of its contents into mantle plumes, some of which eventually reach Earth's surface.

A boiling point of 5900 degrees celsius and diamond-like hardness in combination with carbon: tungsten is the heaviest metal, yet has biological functions—especially in heat-loving microorganisms. 

A team of fusion scientists has successfully developed a "nano-scale sculpture technology" to fabricate ultra-thin films by sharpening tungsten samples with focused ion beams. This makes it possible to use transmission electron microscopy (TEM) to observe cross sections very close to the top of tungsten samples at nano-scale. The sculpture technology developed in this study is applicable not only to tungsten, but also to other hard materials.

Hardening materials such as metals, carbon and ceramics are used in automobiles, aircraft and buildings. In the research of fusion reactor, tungsten, as one of the hardest metal materials, is most likely to be the armor material for receiving plasma thermal/particle loads. The device is called a diverter. In any hardened material, nano-scale damage or defects can be formed near the top surface of the material. In order to predict material life, it is necessary to understand the damage types and depth profiles in materials. For this reason, we must observe the cross section of the area very close to the top surface of nano-materials.

In order to observe the internal structure of nano-scale materials, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), which accelerates the transmission of electrons through target materials, is usually used as a powerful tool. In order to observe the cross section very close to the top of tungsten by TEM, we first extract a small piece of tungsten sample from the surface of tungsten, and then cut the extracted sample to make ultrathin films. Because of the high transmittance of the electron beam, the thickness of the film must be less than ~100nm in order to obtain high resolution. However, it is very difficult to fabricate ultrathin films for such hard materials as tungsten. Therefore, it is almost impossible to obtain the thickness of ~100nm by using traditional thin film manufacturing technology.

The research team of Dr. Masayuki Tokitani and Daisuke Nagata of the National Institutes of Natural Sciences (NINS) National Institute for Fusion Science (NIFS) have developed a superior nano-scale fabrication technique for tungsten, by using a focused ion beam—electron beam (FIB-SEM) device. They call this technology "nano-scale sculpture technology". FIB-SEM devices enable us to cut materials by irradiating them with focused Ga ion beams about 30 nm in diameter. The team had previously attempted to fabricate ultrathin films by sharpening a small piece of tungsten using FIB-SEM. However, the problem they encounter is that the top surface is unfortunately lost, because the beam intensity of tungsten must be relatively strong. To solve this problem, they have now produced a special Ga beam operation, which maintains the top surface by adjusting the position and direction of the beam. They also gradually sharpen the area near the surface to form a thinner shape toward the bottom. Therefore, they obtain ultrathin films with thickness of ~100nm or smaller and complete top surface.

Atomic damage near the top surface of tungsten sample can be clearly identified in the images obtained from TEM observation of the fabricated ultrathin films. Therefore, the "nano-scale sculpture technology" developed by the research team allows cross sections near the top of tungsten samples to be observed at atomic scale. This carving technology can be applied not only to tungsten, but also to other hard materials, such as hardened alloys and ceramics. At present, we are considering the application of this sculpture technology to the automotive industry.

H.C. Starck Group in Munich, Germany, reported a significant increase in its sales in fiscal year 2018, totaling €691 million. After adjusting to the sales of its tantalum-niobium and surface technology and ceramic powder (STC) sectors during the year, sales were reported to have increased by 23 per cent to €581.7 million.

H.C. Starck's Tungsten division, H.C. Starck Tungsten GmbH announced sales growth in 2018, allegedly reflecting the market success of its Nan crystalline Tungsten Carbide varieties and the continued growth of production capacity in Chinese factories. Many projects aimed at helping to improve efficiency, such as optimizing the use of global factory capacity and improving and developing various production processes, are also the key to their performance.

The company noted the most important external factor is the positive economic environment in the end-user industry. It is said that strengthening sales, technological progress and production cost plans have also contributed to its success.

As a result of investments made capacity increased and tap into new business areas. H.C. Starck believes that the positive trends within the individual divisions of the group to continue in the current fiscal year.

Tungsten market could be returning to growth following low prices and oversupply for several years, Roskill noted, an industry analyst.

“With the increasing demand for defense, industry, oil and gas applications, tungsten market fundamentals have changed, just as China's environmental policy has curbed supply and increased cost pressures on producers.” In a 10 year outlook statement, Roskill said.

Supply might be a long-term price driver, as China is the world’s largest producer of tungsten, accounting for more than 80% of tungsten concentrate supply in 2017.

Enhanced environmental restrictions have affected the supply of many metals mined in China and have been seriously affected by environmental and mine safety problems in recent years.

Roskill reported that the Ministry of Ecology and Environment of China will conduct a second round of central environmental inspections in all provinces in the next three years, a move that could lead to mine closures or incitement to compliance requirements leading to increased production costs.

In this case, supply constraints and increased demand will theoretically drive up prices.

China will lift restrictions a variety of products in the metal industry to foreign investment, including antimony, tungsten, molybdenum and tin.

On the second day after Chinese President Xi Jinping and US President Donald Trump agreed to restart stalled trade negotiations, new changes will take effect on July 30. The United States has been pushing China to allow more foreign investment and reduce state support for industry.

The move could encourage foreign companies to develop antimony resources in China. Foreign investment will help mines in Guangxi and other provinces to improve their mining technology, because the deposits in these areas are difficult to mine and extract because of their low metal grade and high impurity content.

The barrier to foreign investment in mining, tungsten exploration and concentration sector, but foreign investors will allowed to engage in production about higher value added materials, for example high-temperature resistance tungsten wires and other highly-processed products.

Restriction of exploration and mining for tin and molybdenum will be lifted. As the largest molybdenum producer in the world, the production in China accounts for 30-40% of globally.

China will keeping restrict mining of rare earth to the six large state-controlled companies, but will encourage foreign investment in high-end applications using rare earth as raw materials. Beijing opened the rare earth separation and smelting to foreign investment without any limits.

China has also expected new energy vehicles and intelligent vehicles to attract foreign funds. These productions use a lot of rare earths and battery metals, such as lithium, cobalt, nickel and manganese as feedstock.

China has decided to control the rare earth exports stricter and banned illegal trade. Tracking systems could be introduced into the rare earth industry to ensure compliance, an official said.

Wu Chenhui, an independent analyst of rare earth in Beijing said, China as the largest rare earth resources holder and producer, will keep supply for reasonable demand of the world market. "Besides, promoting the development of the rare-earth sector has been China's consistent policy, and further enhancing the supervision of the whole industry chain is needed, including producers and end users," he said. For tracking both sides, information might needs to be submitted.

Wu said the deposits constitute a strategic resource of special value that could be used by China as a countermeasure in the trade war with the United States.

Us defense companies are likely to be the first listed buyers to face a ban by China on rare earth exports, given the tough terms China faces, according to industry insiders.

Firmly opposes any attempts by any country to use products made with China's rare-earth resources to curb the nation's development, Meng Wei, spokesperson of the National Development and Reform Commission, China's top economic planner said

To promote the development of the rare-earth industry, China will deploy effective methods including export restrictions and establishing a tracking mechanism, she noted.