Mitsubishi Materials Reinforces Tungsten Recycling

Mitsubishi Materials reinforces tungsten recycling. Tungsten is a main material for cemented carbide tools. The firm established a new business unit to collect used carbide tools inside Mitsubishi Materials Tools, the 100% subsidiary selling carbide tools. Mitsubishi Materials has collected used tools through outer scrap dealers but the collecting efficiency maintains low. The firm aims to raise the scrap using rate in cemented carbide tools to more than 30% from current 10% by collecting used tools through the subsidiary.Used carbide tools are recycled at Akita works of Japan New Metals, another subsidiary of Mitsubishi Materials. Japan New Metals produces ammonium paratungstate (APT) from tungsten concentrate and used carbide tools at Akita works, Akita, Japan. APT is an intermediate material for tungsten carbide and tungsten carbide is fabricated into cemented carbide tools.Mitsubishi Materials is gradually expanding output capacity for indexable inserts by establishment of a new factory inside Tsukuba Plant, Ibaraki, Japan. The firm also increases tungsten output capacity to follow the expansion of indexable inserts. Global tungsten supply is unstable and the international price stays high when China, the world top tungsten producer, strengthens the export regulation. Mitsubishi Materials tries to raise the scrap using ratio as a countermeasure.