With the continuous rise in tungsten prices in recent years, especially this year, the tungsten price has achieved a historic breakthrough. The APT bulk commodity price once soared above 420,000 yuan per ton. On the other hand, tungsten resources are highly concentrated in distribution, and the intensification of geopolitical conflicts, combined with stricter environmental requirements, has made the supply chain relatively fragile. Currently, major countries have increased their attention to key minerals such as tungsten, driving the global market to seek alternative solutions.
I. Hard Alloy and Wear Resistance Field
1. There are mainly three types as follows.
① Ceramic materials: Alumina (Al₂O₃), Silicon nitride (Si₃N₄), Titanium carbide (TiC) based metallic ceramics, Cubic boron nitride (cBN)
② Ultra-hard materials: Polycrystalline diamond (PCD), Polycrystalline cubic boron nitride (PCBN)
③ Advanced steel materials and surface engineering technologies: Powder metallurgy high-speed steel, and the preparation of wear-resistant coatings (such as ceramic coatings) on the surface of the base material through technologies like thermal spraying and laser cladding.
2. Application Prospects
Ceramic and super-hard materials (PCD/PCBN) tools have a promising future in the field of hard alloys and tools, with the fastest rate of substitution. The market share of these ceramic and super-hard material tools will continue to increase, especially in the high-speed and precision processing of the automotive, aerospace, and electronic information industries. Surface engineering technology will experience significant growth in the market for large wear-resistant components, reducing the overall consumption of tungsten.
II. High-Content Alloy Field
1. There are mainly three types as follows.
① Depleted uranium
② Molybdenum (Mo) and molybdenum alloys
③ Metal matrix composites: Composites made by using light metals such as aluminum, magnesium, and titanium as the matrix, and incorporating high-density particles (such as tungsten carbide, boron nitride, tantalum, etc.) as the reinforcement.
2. Application Prospects
The market is segmented, with limited alternatives but opportunities still exist. In the field of radiation shielding, tungsten remains the preferred material for medical and nuclear industries due to its non-radioactivity, and there is little room for substitution. In the field of weight distribution (such as aircraft, racing cars, and golf clubs), lightweight metal-based composite materials will be the main growth point, gradually eroding the traditional tungsten alloy market. In the military armor-piercing bullet field, tungsten is the only environmentally friendly and high-performance alternative to depleted uranium, and the demand is stable.
III. Alternatives in the Field of Electronic/Electrical Contact Materials
1. There are mainly the following two types.
① Molybdenum (Mo) and tantalum (Ta)
② Copper alloys and composite materials: Copper tungsten (W-Cu), copper molybdenum (Mo-Cu) composites, chromium-zirconium copper (CuCrZr) alloy
2. Application Prospects
Complementarity outweighs substitution. The tungsten-copper and molybdenum-copper composite materials are already mature market products. They have a more complementary relationship with pure tungsten materials. The choice of their use depends on different electrical performance and thermal management requirements.
IV. Others (Photovoltaic, Chemical Industry)
1. There are mainly the following two types.
① High-carbon steel wire
② Specific organic compounds
2. Application Prospects
In the photovoltaic industry, tungsten wires are used for silicon wafer cutting. High-carbon steel wires have replaced some of the tungsten wire applications due to their cost advantages. However, according to relevant data, tungsten wire diamond wires account for approximately 80% of the entire market, while carbon steel diamond wires may accelerate their exit from the market. In the tungsten chemical products field, some organic compounds can replace some tungsten compounds in certain chemical reactions. For example, some organic metal complexes with specific catalytic activity can achieve similar catalytic effects as tungsten compounds in some catalytic reactions, thereby replacing the application of tungsten chemical products in corresponding reactions.
Overall, the development of tungsten alternative products is an inevitable trend, but the path is diversified and scenario-specific. The technical barriers, objective inertia, and the inherent performance advantages of tungsten determine that its replacement should be a gradual process. Moreover, the background of policy advocacy, supply chain security, and the new demands brought about by the development of emerging industries have provided a competitive space for the creation of alternative products and broadened the alternative paths.
Source: Ferroalloy Online