2021 tungsten price rise ends 2022 tungsten market how to go? [special topic of the year SMM]

On January 21, the average spot price of SMM wolframite concentrate ≥ 65% was 114500 yuan per standard ton, which has been rising since the beginning of December.

"Click to view SMM metal prices

The average annual price of 65% tungsten concentrate in 2021 is 102000 yuan / ton, an increase of 20% over the same period last year. The average annual price of position apt is 160000 yuan / ton, an increase of 21% over the same period last year. Tungsten kept rising slowly in the first half of 2021, but in June, due to power shortage, miners' production restrictions, environmental protection and epidemic prevention and other factors, prices rose rapidly and sharply, and the pricing and purchasing prices of large groups also followed the rise. However, when it rose to August and September, downstream cemented carbide enterprises could not continue to transmit downward because of their rising tungsten and cobalt costs, and it was difficult to accept the tungsten raw materials that had risen to a high level, so the price dropped somewhat, and the tungsten concentrate dropped to 110000 yuan / ton. In the fourth quarter, there was a shortage of energy and a marked rise in the price of auxiliary materials, which once again promoted the upward repair of tungsten raw material prices. Especially in December, raw material inventory was low, especially the spot supply of APT was tight. Under factors such as market sentiment, cost support and inflation, prices rose again at the end of the year, and spot purchase prices rose again until the first and middle of January.

On the news side, the recent long order quotations of various enterprises have also been raised. Zhangyuan Tungsten Industry's long order quotation (13% VAT) in the second half of January 2022 is: 113500 yuan / standard ton for wolframite concentrate (WO3 ≥ 55%), 3500 yuan / standard ton higher than the quotation for the first half of the month; 112000 yuan / standard ton for scheelite concentrate (WO3 ≥ 55%), 3500 yuan / standard ton higher than the quotation for the first half of the month; ammonium paratungstate (GB zero) 176000 yuan / ton, 5000 yuan / ton higher than the quotation in the first half of the month. In the second half of January 2022, Jiang Tungsten Group quoted a price of 115000 yuan / standard ton for the first-grade wolframite concentrate, an increase of 2500 yuan / ton compared with the first half of the month.

SMM believes that with the gradual improvement of domestic demand in 2021, coupled with the substantial increase in export demand under the epidemic, the price of domestic tungsten products has increased significantly. With the overall control of the epidemic and the recovery and growth of the global economy and downstream demand, the price center of gravity of tungsten products in China is expected to continue to rise in 2022.