According to an article published by Plansee Group on July 17, 2025, tungsten is an element with extremely high density and the highest melting point among metals, making it an indispensable material for high-tech industries.
However, since up to 90% of the world’s known tungsten reserves are concentrated in China and Russia, strategic measures are necessary to secure a stable supply.
To address this supply risk, Plansee Group is pursuing a strategy based on three main pillars:
– Collection and reuse of tungsten scrap
Tungsten is an infinitely recyclable resource. Plansee collects and reuses tungsten from end-of-life products and production waste.
Through buyback agreements with customers and systematic collection and sorting systems, the company advances this initiative. In 2018, it acquired Stadler, the largest tungsten scrap dealer in Europe.
“As soon as we use even 1 kg of recycled resources, we save natural resources and improve our carbon footprint,” said Chairman Karlheinz Wex.
– Development and optimization of recycling technologies
Plansee Group has been developing tungsten recycling technologies for decades. It focuses mainly on the following two processes:
Thermomechanical recycling: Sorted scrap is processed in multiple stages to directly produce formable tungsten powder.
Chemical recycling: Tungsten-containing scrap is converted into metallic tungsten or tungsten carbide. The recycled tungsten obtained through this process has the same quality as mined tungsten.
This process is carried out by the company’s subsidiary, Global Tungsten & Powders.
– Long-term purchase agreements with mines (Offtake Agreements)
Plansee has secured supply contracts with tungsten mines in Central America and the Iberian Peninsula.
Furthermore, as South Korea’s Sangdong mine is scheduled to restart operations in 2026, it is expected to become an important source of supply.
Plansee holds a 14% stake in Almonty Industries’ Sangdong mine and has secured a large share of its production through long-term purchase agreements.
Global Tungsten & Powders processes this material into high-quality products.
Karlheinz Wex stated:
“Thanks to tungsten scrap recycling and long-term contracts with mines, we can offer our customers a stable and independent supply of tungsten powders, semi-finished products, carbide tools, and components.
This enables customers to concentrate on their projects with peace of mind. Across all major economic regions, we guarantee stable and sustainable raw material supply.”
[About Plansee Group]
Plansee Group, headquartered in Austria, is a high-tech materials manufacturer specializing in refractory metals such as tungsten and molybdenum.
The company supplies products mainly to sectors that require high performance, including aerospace, medical technology, and semiconductors.
Its core business strategy emphasizes ensuring stable raw material supply by combining long-term purchase agreements with mines and proprietary scrap recycling technologies.
The scrap recycling strategy is a key pillar, reducing dependence on raw materials and strengthening resource circularity through the collection of tungsten scrap and in-house recycling technologies.
As part of this strategy, the company also acquired Stadler, the largest tungsten scrap dealer in Europe.
URL: https://plansee-group.com/en/articles/detail/tungsten-supply
