Molybdenum News Flash

China Tungsten High-Tech released its performance forecast for the first three quarters of 2026. It estimates consolidated net profit attributable to parent company for Jan–Sep to hit RMB 2.9–3.1 billion, representing a sharp year-on-year increase, mainly supported by sustained high tungsten raw material prices and volume-price growth of high value-added deep-processed products such as PCB micro-drills. Nevertheless, the Q3 standalone profit fell quarter-on-quarter, reflecting declining tungsten prices in September and weak end-market demand for conventional cemented carbide, which led to marginal deterioration in industrial chain profitability. While upstream resources and deep-processing segments still underpin earnings resilience, falling tungsten prices and sluggish downstream demand m

Idaho Copper Corporation’s updated preliminary economic assessment for its wholly owned CuMo copper-molybdenum-silver project estimates average annual contained-molybdenum production of 30.5 million pounds (about 13,835 metric tonnes) during the first 21 years of a 46-year mine life. Life-of-mine payable molybdenum is estimated at 906 million pounds (about 410,955 metric tonnes). Initial capital is US$1.169 billion, followed by US$658 million of expansion capital in year five. The company targets completion of a pre-feasibility study in 2028 and has not made a construction decision; the project is not current or near-term supply.

Erdene Resource Development Corporation’s preliminary economic assessment for its wholly owned Zuun Mod molybdenum-copper project in Mongolia outlines a 25-million-metric-tonne-per-year open-pit operation. Average annual recovered molybdenum is estimated at 19.8 million pounds (about 8,981 metric tonnes) over 34 years, with total recovered molybdenum of 672.1 million pounds (304,900 metric tonnes). Pre-production capital is US$687 million. At US$25 per pound molybdenum and US$5 per pound copper, after-tax net present value is US$745 million and internal rate of return is 16.1%. About 74% of planned mill feed is inferred resource; this is not current supply.