Japan New Metals Launches New Tungsten Plant in Akita

Mitsubishi Materials announced on Friday the subsidiary, Japan New Metals established integrated production system of tungsten at Akita plant. The subsidiary complete construction of tungsten powder plant for more than 2 billion yen to start production of tungsten carbide powder used for cemented carbide tool, which is made at headquarters plant in Osaka.

Japan New Metals makes high performance metals including tungsten and molybdenum and powder for powder metallurgy. The firm is sole domestic tungsten smelter to make ammonium paratungstate powder from concentrate and scrap from cemented carbide tool while Japan imports major part of ammonium paratungstate from China.

The firm has made tungsten carbide powder at Osaka plant from ammonium paratungstate powder at Akita plant. Akita plant started new plant with tungsten carbide powder making line along with ammonium paratungstate making line. Akita plant established integrated production system to shorten lead time for the buyers.

The firm plans to make around 20% of tungsten carbide powder volume at Akita and eyes additional output capacity depending on the cemented carbide tool demand.

Japanese industry depends major part of tungsten supply on China while the metal is indispensable for cemented carbide tool, which is used for automobile and electronics devices. Chinese government increases the export regulation for rare metals including tungsten. Japan New Metals tries to improve the supply ability including scrap recovery system to stabilize the supply.