{"id":5409,"date":"2026-09-16T16:05:46","date_gmt":"2026-09-16T14:05:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/grafhartmetall.com\/?p=5409"},"modified":"2026-09-16T16:54:08","modified_gmt":"2026-09-16T14:54:08","slug":"tungsten-carbide-market-2026","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/grafhartmetall.com\/en\/tungsten-carbide-market-2026\/","title":{"rendered":"Tungsten 2026: Why Falling Chinese Prices Don\u2019t Mean Cheaper Tungsten Carbide in Europe"},"content":{"rendered":"<div  class='flex_column av-2yv7jl-d2343688fb7284ddf4ee9165c5cd281f av_one_full  avia-builder-el-0  el_before_av_hr  avia-builder-el-first  first flex_column_div  '     ><p>\n<style type=\"text\/css\" data-created_by=\"avia_inline_auto\" id=\"style-css-av-mtwwbo26-2f976d7f7ba61aa40b3a0ef6a5d79fcf\">\n#top .av-special-heading.av-mtwwbo26-2f976d7f7ba61aa40b3a0ef6a5d79fcf{\npadding-bottom:10px;\n}\nbody .av-special-heading.av-mtwwbo26-2f976d7f7ba61aa40b3a0ef6a5d79fcf .av-special-heading-tag .heading-char{\nfont-size:25px;\n}\n.av-special-heading.av-mtwwbo26-2f976d7f7ba61aa40b3a0ef6a5d79fcf .av-subheading{\nfont-size:15px;\n}\n<\/style>\n<div  class='av-special-heading av-mtwwbo26-2f976d7f7ba61aa40b3a0ef6a5d79fcf av-special-heading-h1  avia-builder-el-1  el_before_av_hr  avia-builder-el-first '><h1 class='av-special-heading-tag'  itemprop=\"headline\"  >Tungsten 2026: Why Falling Chinese Prices Don\u2019t Mean Cheaper Tungsten Carbide in Europe<\/h1><div class=\"special-heading-border\"><div class=\"special-heading-inner-border\"><\/div><\/div><\/div><br \/>\n\n<style type=\"text\/css\" data-created_by=\"avia_inline_auto\" id=\"style-css-av-mtwwj405-b6fb3b58e20700830efe3bb92f1f51e7\">\n#top .hr.hr-invisible.av-mtwwj405-b6fb3b58e20700830efe3bb92f1f51e7{\nheight:30px;\n}\n<\/style>\n<div  class='hr av-mtwwj405-b6fb3b58e20700830efe3bb92f1f51e7 hr-invisible  avia-builder-el-2  el_after_av_heading  el_before_av_textblock '><span class='hr-inner '><span class=\"hr-inner-style\"><\/span><\/span><\/div><br \/>\n<section  class='av_textblock_section av-mtwwf4hn-e2746b81da227e9427875a95b342393f '   itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/BlogPosting\" itemprop=\"blogPost\" ><div class='avia_textblock'  itemprop=\"text\" ><p><em>By Graf Hartmetall | September 2026<\/em><\/p>\n<p>After an exceptionally <a href=\"https:\/\/grafhartmetall.com\/en\/tungsten-price-trends-2026\/\">turbulent first half of this year<\/a>, the tungsten carbide market 2026 has entered a new phase. Prices in China have fallen significantly since their spring peak, while Europeanbuyers continue to face historically high costs and limited availability.<\/p>\n<p>At first glance, this seems contradictory. If Chinese tungsten prices are dropping, shouldn&#8217;t tungsten carbide become cheaper worldwide?<\/p>\n<p>The answer is no. And that is precisely what makes the current market so interesting.<\/p>\n<h2><strong>A Market Split in Two<\/strong><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-5501 alignright\" style=\"font-size: 16px;\" title=\"price trend china europe\" src=\"https:\/\/grafhartmetall.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/price_trend_china_europe-300x169.webp\" alt=\"price_trend_china_europe\" width=\"600\" height=\"338\" srcset=\"https:\/\/grafhartmetall.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/price_trend_china_europe-300x169.webp 300w, https:\/\/grafhartmetall.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/price_trend_china_europe-1030x579.webp 1030w, https:\/\/grafhartmetall.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/price_trend_china_europe-768x432.webp 768w, https:\/\/grafhartmetall.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/price_trend_china_europe-1536x864.webp 1536w, https:\/\/grafhartmetall.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/price_trend_china_europe-2048x1152.webp 2048w, https:\/\/grafhartmetall.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/price_trend_china_europe-1500x844.webp 1500w, https:\/\/grafhartmetall.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/price_trend_china_europe-705x397.webp 705w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><\/h2>\n<p>The most important development of summer 2026 was not the price correction itself, but the growing gap between the Chinese domestic market and international markets.<\/p>\n<p>In June, tungsten prices in China were still supported by strong rawmaterial costs and tight supply. However, demand from downstream industries began to cool as manufacturers became more cautious and focused on immediate purchasing needs instead of stock building.<\/p>\n<p>By July, the correction accelerated. Chinese APT and concentrate prices fell sharply as buyers paused purchases and reassessed inventory levels. Yet European prices remained stubbornly high because export restrictions continued to limit internationally available <a href=\"https:\/\/grafhartmetall.com\/en\/high-performance-materials\/\">material<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>August brought stabilization rather than recovery. Chinese prices found a floor, while European supply remained tight and dependent on licensing procedures and long-term contracts.<\/p>\n<p>The result is a <a href=\"https:\/\/grafhartmetall.com\/en\/tungsten-carbide\/\">tungsten<\/a> market that increasingly operates under two different realities.<\/p>\n<h2><strong>Tungsten Is No Longer Just an Industrial Commodity<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>For decades, tungsten was primarily viewed as a raw material for cutting tools, wear parts and industrial applications.<\/p>\n<p>Today, it has become a strategic material.<img decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-5421 alignright\" src=\"https:\/\/grafhartmetall.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/tungsten-carbide-300x300.jpg\" alt=\"tungsten-carbide\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" srcset=\"https:\/\/grafhartmetall.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/tungsten-carbide-300x300.jpg 300w, https:\/\/grafhartmetall.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/tungsten-carbide-1030x1030.jpg 1030w, https:\/\/grafhartmetall.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/tungsten-carbide-80x80.jpg 80w, https:\/\/grafhartmetall.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/tungsten-carbide-768x768.jpg 768w, https:\/\/grafhartmetall.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/tungsten-carbide-36x36.jpg 36w, https:\/\/grafhartmetall.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/tungsten-carbide-180x180.jpg 180w, https:\/\/grafhartmetall.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/tungsten-carbide-1500x1500.jpg 1500w, https:\/\/grafhartmetall.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/tungsten-carbide-705x705.jpg 705w, https:\/\/grafhartmetall.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/tungsten-carbide.jpg 1512w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>Governments and manufacturers are paying closer attention to tungsten because it is essential for aerospace, defence systems, semiconductors, electronics and advanced manufacturing technologies. This shift has fundamentally changed the market.<\/p>\n<p>China remains the dominant force in the global tungsten industry. Export controls introduced in 2025 continue to influence material availability and pricing throughout 2026. As a consequence, international prices increasingly reflect geopolitical realities rather than purely industrial demand.<\/p>\n<h3><strong>China Is Strengthening Its Position<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>An often-overlooked trend is that China is no longer focused solely on mining tungsten.<\/p>\n<p>Instead, Chinese companies are investing heavily across the entire value chain. Imports of tungsten concentrates from countries such as Kazakhstan have increased substantially, while exports of higher-value processed tungsten products continue to grow. This allows China to retain more control over refining, carbide production and downstream manufacturing.<\/p>\n<p>At the same time, major Chinese companies are investing in domestic mines and overseas projects to secure future supply. Rather than loosening its grip on the market, China appears to be strengthening it.<\/p>\n<h3><strong>The West Starts to Respond<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>Outside China, governments and investors are beginning to react.<img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright wp-image-5503\" title=\"tungsten projects outside china\" src=\"https:\/\/grafhartmetall.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/tungsten_projects_outside_china-300x169.webp\" alt=\"tungsten_projects_outside_china\" width=\"600\" height=\"338\" srcset=\"https:\/\/grafhartmetall.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/tungsten_projects_outside_china-300x169.webp 300w, https:\/\/grafhartmetall.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/tungsten_projects_outside_china-1030x579.webp 1030w, https:\/\/grafhartmetall.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/tungsten_projects_outside_china-768x432.webp 768w, https:\/\/grafhartmetall.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/tungsten_projects_outside_china-1536x864.webp 1536w, https:\/\/grafhartmetall.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/tungsten_projects_outside_china-2048x1152.webp 2048w, https:\/\/grafhartmetall.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/tungsten_projects_outside_china-1500x844.webp 1500w, https:\/\/grafhartmetall.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/tungsten_projects_outside_china-705x397.webp 705w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>One of the most notable developments came from the United Kingdom, where funding was approved to restart the Hemerdon tungsten mine in Devon.<\/p>\n<p>Together with projects in South Korea and North America, this signals a broader effort to diversify global supply chains.<\/p>\n<p>These projects are important, but expectations should remain realistic. Even when fully operational, they will represent only a fraction of China&#8217;s tungsten production capacity.<\/p>\n<p>In other words, alternative supply is growing, but the balance of power in the tungsten market will not change overnight.<\/p>\n<h3><strong>Recycling Becomes Strategic<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p>Another trend gaining momentum is tungsten recycling.<\/p>\n<p>What was once considered scrap is increasingly viewed as a valuable secondary raw material. Governments are recognising the importance of recycled tungsten as a way to reduce dependence on primary mining and foreign supply chains.<\/p>\n<p>For the hardmetal industry, this could become one of the most significant developments of the next decade.<\/p>\n<h4><strong>Outlook: Stable Prices, Unstable Environment<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p>Looking ahead to the final months of 2026, the most likely scenario is neither a major price collapse nor another dramatic spike.<\/p>\n<p>Chinese domestic prices may continue to move sideways as demand remains moderate. International markets, however, are expected to stay relatively tight due to export controls, strategic stockpiling and geopolitical uncertainty.<\/p>\n<p>For European manufacturers, one lesson remains clear:<\/p>\n<h4><strong>Lower Chinese tungsten prices do not automatically translate into lower European tungsten carbide prices.<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p>The market has changed. Tungsten is increasingly treated as a strategic resource, and that reality will likely shape pricing and availability long after the current correction phase has passed.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/section><\/p><\/div>\n<style type=\"text\/css\" data-created_by=\"avia_inline_auto\" id=\"style-css-av-mtwwp4ya-b13d138e4c00b22b3b9f624ce3a7847e\">\n#top .hr.hr-invisible.av-mtwwp4ya-b13d138e4c00b22b3b9f624ce3a7847e{\nheight:30px;\n}\n<\/style>\n<div  class='hr av-mtwwp4ya-b13d138e4c00b22b3b9f624ce3a7847e hr-invisible  avia-builder-el-4  el_after_av_one_full  el_before_av_textblock '><span class='hr-inner '><span class=\"hr-inner-style\"><\/span><\/span><\/div><\/p>\n\n<style type=\"text\/css\" data-created_by=\"avia_inline_auto\" id=\"style-css-av-mtwwnvqu-baa9b81af21ad8fd200ea8e716cd1b35\">\n#top .av_textblock_section.av-mtwwnvqu-baa9b81af21ad8fd200ea8e716cd1b35 .avia_textblock{\nfont-size:11px;\n}\n<\/style>\n<section  class='av_textblock_section av-mtwwnvqu-baa9b81af21ad8fd200ea8e716cd1b35 '   itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/BlogPosting\" itemprop=\"blogPost\" ><div class='avia_textblock'  itemprop=\"text\" ><p><em>References<\/em><\/p>\n<ol>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.fastmarkets.com\/insights\/tungsten-2026-geopolitics-sets-global-tone\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><em>Tungsten 2026: Geopolitics sets global tone, Fastmarkets, March 2026.<\/em><\/a><\/li>\n<li><em>Tungsten markets fragmenting as domestic Chinese APT market diverges from exports, Masan High-Tech Materials, July 2026.<\/em><\/li>\n<li><em>Ganzhou Tungsten Association Releases Forecast Price Cut for Tungsten Products in July 2026, Shanghai Metals Market (SMM), July 2026.<\/em><\/li>\n<li><em>Tungsten Market: Supply-Demand Tug-of-War, China Tungsten Online, August 2026.<\/em><\/li>\n<li><em>Tungsten Concentrate and Tungsten Carbide Powder Price Divergence, China Tungsten Online, August 2026.<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/div><\/section>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The tungsten carbide market changed dramatically during summer 2026. Discover why Chinese prices fell, why Europe remains expensive, and what tungsten carbide buyers should expect in the coming months.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":5421,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[37],"class_list":["post-5409","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","tag-tungsten-carbide"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/grafhartmetall.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5409","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/grafhartmetall.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/grafhartmetall.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/grafhartmetall.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/grafhartmetall.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5409"}],"version-history":[{"count":37,"href":"https:\/\/grafhartmetall.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5409\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5509,"href":"https:\/\/grafhartmetall.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5409\/revisions\/5509"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/grafhartmetall.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/5421"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/grafhartmetall.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5409"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/grafhartmetall.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5409"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/grafhartmetall.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5409"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}