Great Reversal in Demand For Tungsten And Molybdenum

There is a metal that has silently supported the development of the steel industry for the past 100 years, but now it is being redefined in value by the new energy industry at an astonishing speed This is tungsten and molybdenum, known as industrial gold. Today, we will delve into the ongoing demand structure reversal.

In traditional perception, tungsten and molybdenum are used as industrial teeth, with their main application scenarios concentrated in the steel industry. Data shows that 70% of the demand in the past came from traditional industrial uses such as alloy steel and cutting tools. But the latest situation in 2025 shows that this pattern is being completely reshaped by the new energy industry, with the photovoltaic industry taking the lead in opening up new demand space.

Photovoltaic tungsten wire, with its excellent performance advantages, has rapidly increased its penetration rate from 20% last year to over 40%. This material, which has a diameter of only one-third of carbon steel, has a strength 200% higher and demonstrates its crushing advantage in the field of silicon wafer cutting. More importantly, with technological progress, the price of photovoltaic tungsten wire has dropped from 100 yuan per kilometer to below 50 yuan, while its service life is three times that of traditional materials. This revolutionary breakthrough in cost-effectiveness has directly driven the global annual demand to exceed 4500 tons.

The demand growth in the field of lithium batteries is also remarkable. Adding tungsten element to positive electrode materials can significantly improve energy density and safety.

The latest data shows that the demand for lithium batteries in houses will increase by 22% year-on-year in 2025, reaching 1500 tons. At the same time, the application of wood in wind power and new energy vehicles is also steadily growing. Wind power requires 100-120 kilograms of wood per megawatt of installed capacity, while the annual growth rate of wood alloy steel demand for new energy vehicle gears remains at 15%.

It is worth noting that while the demand for new energy has exploded, the demand in traditional fields has not weakened. The demand for high-purity tungsten and molybdenum in high-end manufacturing fields such as aerospace and semiconductors remains strong. The promotion of domestic equipment renewal policies has also driven the market recovery of hard alloy tools, which has formed an interesting phenomenon. The combination of new and old demand has led to a significant contraction on the supply side, and the tight situation on the supply side is worth paying close attention to.

By 2025, China's tungsten mining quota will be lowered to 58000 tons, a decrease of 6.45%. The production reduction scale in the main production area of Jiangxi has reached 2370 tons, and the inventory data is even more shocking. At present, there are only 100 tons of tungsten gold ore inventory left in China, which is at the lowest 2% percentile in history. This supply-demand imbalance is directly reflected in prices. The price of Wujin mine with a 65% taste has exceeded 217000 yuan per ton, setting a 10-year high and increasing by 51.7% compared to the beginning of the year.

In this transformation, the opportunities in each link of the industrial chain are not the same. The upstream resource side occupies an advantageous position due to scarcity, while deep processing enterprises that master core technologies obtain higher added value through product upgrades.

Enterprises that can simultaneously grasp the two key elements of resources and technology are most likely to stand out in this round of industrial transformation.

The change in demand structure tells us that the impact of the new energy revolution is far beyond energy itself. It is profoundly changing the value chain of the entire industrial metal industry. The transformation of the tungsten and molybdenum industry from the steel era to the photovoltaic lithium era may have just begun, and the annual demand increment of 6000 tons may only be a starting point. The future development space is more worth looking forward to.

In this once-in-a-century wave of transformation in the tungsten and molybdenum industry, Shaanxi Zhongheng Weichuang Metal Materials Co., Ltd., as a leading tungsten and molybdenum material manufacturer in China and a global exporter, is providing core material support for the dual needs of new energy and traditional industries with profound industrial accumulation and innovative technology. We rely on independent and controllable upstream resources and precision deep processing capabilities to produce ultrafine high-strength tungsten wire for photovoltaics, high-purity tungsten powder for lithium battery positive electrode additives, and special molybdenum alloy materials, which have been widely used in the global photovoltaic cutting, power battery, and high-end equipment manufacturing fields.

The company always adheres to the dual wheel drive of "resources+technology", ensuring that its products maintain a leading advantage in performance, lifespan, and cost-effectiveness through strict quality control and continuous technological innovation. We can provide stable and reliable material solutions for both high growth demands in the field of new energy and demanding requirements in high-end manufacturing such as aerospace and semiconductors.

In the future, Shaanxi Zhongheng Weichuang will continue to deeply cultivate the field of tungsten molybdenum new materials and work together with global customers to seize opportunities for industrial transformation. If you need to know more about our products and services,
please contact us at: email: zhwcjs2022@163.com
Let's use "industrial gold" as a medium to create a new era of green energy together!