Mitsubishi Materials has begun importing tungsten from Vietnam at scale, including material recycled from carbide scrap, as it seeks alternatives to Chinese supply, Nikkei reported. The higher cost of the recycled metal is pushing up its tool prices. Mitsubishi more than tripled prices for some carbide materials used in brazed tools from June 1 and says further increases are unavoidable while China's export controls remain in place.
China imposed restrictions on exports of dual-use items to Japanese military users and uses on Jan. 6. The controlled products include tungsten carbide, tungsten oxide and ammonium paratungstate (APT), a key tungsten intermediate. China supplied about 55% of Japan’s tungstate imports in the first 11 months of 2025, according to Fastmarkets. Taiwan and Vietnam were the next-largest sources.
Tungsten prices outside China have surged, even as prices inside the country have eased. European APT was assessed at $2,700 to $3,100 per metric ton unit on Oct. 9, per Shanghai Metals Market (SMM) data. Offers in Rotterdam were $750 to $780 last November. China’s domestic APT price has fallen 47% from its peak, while the price gap between Chinese and overseas markets remains above $1,500 per metric ton unit.
In the US, a federal Defense Production Act order requires sellers of domestic tungsten scrap to sell it to US buyers through August 2027. The order aims to keep more scrap available to domestic processors as manufacturers seek alternatives to overseas supply.
