Tungsten prices eased at the start of April as profit-taking and buyer caution cooled the rally, but year-to-date gains remain extraordinary. Here is the April 1, 2026 price table plus a practical read-through for cemented carbide tool procurement.
At the start of April, tungsten prices moved into a controlled pullback. Some holders took profit after the earlier surge, while buyers became more cautious as headline prices looked “too high to chase”. That combination slightly eased the tightness at mines and smelters, softening quotes across several upstream products.
Even with the short-term dip, the strategic narrative has not disappeared. Geopolitical uncertainty and renewed inflation risk keep long-term expectations for tungsten as a critical resource resilient — and most market participants view the current move as a rational correction rather than a trend break.
Market overview: why prices softened in early April
The immediate driver is positioning. The previous uptrend left a trail of “profit inventory” across parts of the chain, and the first week of April encouraged some holders to sell into strength. On the demand side, end-users and traders are wary of catching a top, so spot buying becomes selective and slower when prices climb quickly.
The lagged impact of the earlier raw-material rally is also showing up downstream. Higher energy, logistics, and labour costs are compressing margins across the value chain. Cemented carbide tool producers — both domestic and international — have signalled price increases for April and May, which supports tungsten pricing in theory, but volatile sentiment still caps near-term restocking appetite.
Price table — April 1, 2026 (Chinatungsten Online)
The following table summarises the latest published price points as of April 1, 2026. Percent changes refer to the notes provided by the source (YTD and, where stated, down from peak).
| Product | Price | YTD Change |
|---|---|---|
| 65% wolframite concentrate | RMB 985,000/ton | +114.1% YTD |
| 65% scheelite concentrate | RMB 984,000/ton | +114.4% YTD |
| Ammonium paratungstate (APT) | RMB 1,470,000/ton | +119.4% YTD |
| European APT | USD 2,800–3,150 (≈ RMB 1,713,000–1,927,000)/ton (equiv.) | +223.4% YTD |
| Tungsten powder | RMB 2,350/kg | +117.6% YTD |
| Tungsten carbide powder | RMB 2,290/kg | +120.2% YTD |
| Cobalt powder | RMB 580/kg | +11.5% YTD |
| 70% ferrotungsten | RMB 1,400,000/ton | +115.4% YTD |
| European ferrotungsten | USD 320–330/kg W (≈ RMB 1,548,000–1,597,000)/ton (equiv.) | +136.4% YTD |
| Scrap tungsten rods | RMB 1,080/kg | +80.0% YTD |
| Scrap tungsten drill bits | RMB 1,050/kg | +81.0% YTD |
Source: Chinatungsten Online · YTD = Year-to-date change from Jan 1, 2026 · WoW = Week-on-week
What this means for solid carbide tool buyers
- Expect continued quoting discipline from carbide tool makers as earlier raw-material cost increases flow through contracts.
- The current pullback reduces short-term “panic buying”, but it does not erase the elevated cost base for APT, powders, and cobalt.
- Scrap weakness can temporarily ease pressure on recycled feedstock pricing, but volatility remains high.
- If you have April–May production loads, lock specifications early to protect lead time and avoid re-quoting cycles.
Procurement recommendation
Use the pullback to refresh your cost baseline: separate “must-run” tools from discretionary replenishment, confirm coating requirements, and request quotes with full dimensions (diameter, flute length, shank, OAL) so suppliers can hold pricing for the batch. Factory-direct sourcing can reduce the number of margin layers exposed to rapid raw-material moves.
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Outlook
Chinatungsten Online expects tungsten prices to remain slightly weak in the near term as bullish and bearish forces compete — with trading cautious and liquidity limited. Watch concentrate supply discipline, downstream restocking, and how quickly carbide tool makers implement April–May price increases.
We will continue publishing tungsten price snapshots to help manufacturing procurement teams track raw-material cost pressure and plan tooling budgets.
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