Updated 10 Oct 2026 · WolfTrack by TungstenIndia.com
China’s tungsten exports fell 25.01% year on year to 8,063.74 tonnes in January–August 2026, while total tungsten product imports rose 89.94% to 25,300 tonnes. The sharpest cut is in the product that matters most to the outside world: APT exports were 22.80 tonnes, down 89.27%.
The data below is published by the China Tungsten Industry News Center (CTIA) from Chinese customs statistics, released on 9 Oct 2026.
Exports: down almost everywhere
| Product | Jan–Aug 2026 (t) | Change y/y | August 2026 (t) | Change y/y |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| All tungsten products | 8,063.74 | −25.01% | 1,060.16 | −41.17% |
| Ammonium paratungstate (APT) | 22.80 | −89.27% | — | — |
| Tungsten trioxide | 302.80 | −59.68% | — | — |
| Ferrotungsten | 930.10 | −44.16% | — | — |
| Tungsten powder | 656.81 | −32.28% | 46.50 | −67.51% |
| Tungsten carbide | — | — | 303.35 | −15.18% |
| Ammonium metatungstate | — | — | 203.94 | −35.43% |
| Tungsten wire | 268.86 | +2.78% | 37.05 | −3.68% |
| Tungsten hexafluoride (WF6) | — | — | 44.97 | +92.49% |
A dash means the figure was not in the source we read. The Jan–Aug monthly average works out to about 1,008 t (our arithmetic), so August’s 1,060 t is not a collapse against the year’s own run rate. The y/y fall is large because August 2025 was much higher.
The three signals:
- APT is effectively closed. 22.80 t in eight months is under 3 t a month. This is consistent with the rule that China cannot export APT (explained in One Market, Two Prices), and with the Rotterdam price becoming a quote with almost no trades behind it. (The CTIA headline rounds the fall to 90%. The body gives 89.27%.)
- Powder and ferrotungsten are being squeezed. Both are down by a third to nearly half over eight months, and August powder was down 67.51%.
- WF6 is the exception. August tungsten hexafluoride exports rose 92.49% to 44.97 t. WF6 is a semiconductor-grade chemical, so this is high-value, finished-chemistry trade that is still flowing.
Imports: the headline number needs a caveat
| Item | Jan–Aug 2026 | Change y/y | August 2026 | Change y/y |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| All tungsten products | 25,300 t | +89.94% | 5,570.98 t | +141.81% |
| Tungsten trioxide | 59.50 t | +337.89% | 5.37 t | −17.99% |
| Tungsten powder | 17.82 t | −29.79% | 0.583 t | −19.92% |
| Tungsten carbide | 15.47 t | −67.75% | 0.046 t | −70.70% |
| Tungsten hexafluoride | 240.06 t | −21.76% | 26.11 t | −28.57% |
| Tungsten wire | 3.405 t | −3.24% | 0.691 t | +14.21% |
Read the totals carefully. The listed finished and intermediate products add up to only a few tens of tonnes in August, against a reported total of 5,570.98 t. CTIA does not explain the gap. Our reading (inference, not stated by the source) is that the total includes ore and concentrate, which are not broken out in these articles. That would mean the import surge is raw material flowing into China, not finished goods.
If that is right, it fits the other facts on the table. China’s mine output was hit by July–August flooding according to trade reports, and its smelters are running at low operating rates. Importing concentrate while exports of APT, oxide and powder fall is what a country does when it wants to keep the processing and value-add at home. Other governments are moving the same way: see Tungsten scrap is going strategic.
The tungsten trioxide import jump (+337.89%) is real but off a tiny base. The prior-year figure works out to about 13.6 t (our arithmetic), so the move is roughly 46 extra tonnes.
What it means for the market
| Reading | Basis |
|---|---|
| China is pulling raw material in and holding intermediates back | Total imports +89.94%, APT exports −89.27%, oxide exports −59.68% |
| Ex-China buyers of APT, oxide and powder have fewer Chinese sellers | The export falls above |
| China still sells finished high-value items | WF6 exports +92.49% in August; wire roughly flat |
| Domestic China demand is soft | CTIA describes a “weak adjustment phase” with scrap a buyer’s market |
What this means for Indian scrap sellers
Reading the data, not predicting
- Chinese intermediates are not coming out in volume. For any buyer outside China who wants APT or oxide, that raises the value of other feed, including recycled tungsten.
- The customs data lags by about five weeks. August figures were published on 9 Oct. Treat it as confirmation of a trend, not a live signal.
- China’s own scrap market is soft. CTIA reports scrap as a buyer’s market, so Chinese scrap prices are not a reason for Indian sellers to rush.
- Check today’s rates before you quote: India tungsten scrap rates and China tungsten prices.
Selling clean carbide scrap? WhatsApp us with grade, quantity and photos, or follow the WolfTrack channel for the Thursday brief.
Frequently asked questions
How much did China’s tungsten exports fall in 2026?
Exports of tungsten products were 8,063.74 tonnes in Januaryu2013August 2026, down 25.01% year on year. August alone was 1,060.16 tonnes, down 41.17%.
Is China still exporting APT?
Barely. APT exports were 22.80 tonnes in Januaryu2013August 2026, down 89.27% year on year.
Why did China’s tungsten imports rise so much?
Reported total tungsten product imports were 25,300 tonnes in Januaryu2013August, up 89.94%. The source does not break out the total. Our reading is that it includes ore and concentrate, which would make the rise raw material flowing into China.
Which Chinese tungsten exports grew?
Tungsten hexafluoride exports rose 92.49% in August 2026 to 44.97 tonnes, and tungsten wire exports were up 2.78% over Januaryu2013August.
Related reading
- One Market, Two Prices: why China tungsten is falling while the rest of the world stays tight
- Tungsten scrap is going strategic: US export restriction and Vietnam's draft rule
- Sangdong starts, Masan gets a buyer: building tungsten supply outside China
- WolfTrack Issue #2: India scrap rates, 8 Oct 2026
- Tungsten scrap price in India, October 2026
Sources: China Tungsten Industry News Center (CTIA), articles of 9 Oct 2026 on tungsten exports and imports for January–August and August 2026 (imports, August, exports, August), and 9–10 Oct 2026 market reports; publicly available trade reports (Shanghai-based, 4 Sep 2026). Customs figures are as published by CTIA and are for reference only, not trading advice.
Also read: China tungsten prices keep falling: what SMM and CTIA say is driving it
