China's Tungsten Export Limits Amid Iran Conflict
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- China controls roughly 80% of the world’s 84,000‑tonne tungsten output and has tightened export licensing, limiting supply for U.S. and allied munitions.
- United States sees armor‑piercing munitions deplete faster than any prior conflict as the Iran‑Israel war escalates, driving a surge in tungsten demand.
- United Kingdom is scrambling to secure new tungsten sources after its domestic mining ceased in 2015, prompting government‑backed funding for overseas projects.
- Iran’s war has triggered a global shortage of tungsten, a critical mineral for high‑temperature military hardware.
- Tungsten is a conflict mineral mined in violent regions, and its limited annual production of 84,000 tonnes makes pricing opaque and markets vulnerable.
Why it matters: US defense contractors lose affordable tungsten as China tightens exports, while the UK must fund new mining projects, raising weapons costs and forcing militaries to seek alternative alloys.
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