Views: 0 Author: Site Editor Publish Time: 2026-02-03 Origin: Site
Against the backdrop of a recent general decline in global precious and base metals, the tungsten market has shown a contrarian trend, with raw material prices hitting new highs continuously, according to Chinatungsten Online’s latest market analysis. Intermediate traders and downstream users have raised their quotes, though consumption pressure is mounting; the tungsten scrap market has temporarily stabilized amid sentiment fluctuations.
As the Spring Festival approaches, all industrial chain links are adopting a cautious attitude in procurement and sales, with market transactions dominated by small-batch rigid demand, intensifying the game between buyers and sellers.
Key price gains (as of press time) include:
65% wolframite and scheelite concentrates up 37.4% and 37.5% year-to-date respectively;
ammonium paratungstate (APT) up 40.3% domestically and 35.8% in the European market;
tungsten powder and tungsten carbide powder both rising over 43%;
70% ferrotungsten up 33.9% domestically and 25.8% in Europe; and scrap tungsten products (rods, drill bits) up around 43%.
Cobalt powder also rose 11.5% year-to-date.
Rising Hard Alloy Costs Create Pressure for the Drilling Tools Industry
As tungsten carbide powder prices continue climbing, the cost of producing hard alloys is rising in parallel.
Tungsten carbide is one of the core materials used in the drilling tools industry, and cost increases directly affect the following products:
DTH drill bits
Button bits
Chisel bits
Cross bits
Threaded bits
PDC products that include a hard-alloy matrix
For manufacturers, high raw material prices are compressing profit margins and forcing an adjustment in product pricing structures across the industry.
QIDELI Outlook: Industry Trends in a High-Cost Era
Based on feedback across the supply chain, there is still no clear sign of price correction in the short term.
Tight resource availability, strong market sentiment, and active capital inflows together indicate that tungsten prices will remain at elevated levels.
Against this backdrop, the drilling tools industry is expected to enter:
A cost-sensitive period
A product restructuring period
A phase of rising demand for high-quality products
QIDELI will continue to closely monitor upstream raw material price changes and provide clients with timely market insights and professional guidance.
QIDELI remains committed to quality-first principles, maintaining high standards in raw material sourcing and production process control.
Even in volatile market conditions, QIDELI will ensure stable product quality and reliable supply—a promise we uphold for our global customers as we face this new industry cycle together.
