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Tungsten prices rally as China limits exports

03:25

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Marta Grudzinska
August 11, 2026

Europe is heavily dependent on China for tungsten. However, thanks to recycling and its own supply chains outside China, the Austrian company Plansee is largely independent.


Tungsten is a critical raw material powering industries from data centers to aerospace and defense. As China tightens export controls, European manufacturers are turning to recycling and alternative supply chains to reduce dependence on the world's largest producer. With prices rising and competition intensifying, the race to secure tungsten is becoming increasingly strategic.

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