Infographic

Tungsten in numbers

Tungsten (W) drawn as one poster: 85 kt of world mine production in 2025, China the largest producer, 8 critical mineral lists. Scroll to draw it, then download it as SVG or PNG.

PROSPECTOR TRAILS · INFOGRAPHIC · DATA YEAR 2025TungstenWTechnology metal · symbol WTungsten is the hardest-wearing industrial metal: cemented carbide cutting tools, mining anddrilling bits, armour-piercing munitions, electronics and high-temperature alloys. It is aclassic defence-critical metal.WORLD MINE PRODUCTION 202585 ktW content. USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries.TOP PRODUCER: CHINA79%67 kt of the world total in 2025.WORLD RESERVES 20254.7 MtLargest in China (2.5 Mt). W content.CRITICAL MINERAL LISTS8Current government critical or strategic lists namingtungsten, across 8 jurisdictions.TOP 3 PRODUCERS85%US NET IMPORT RELIANCE 202550%PRICE 2025380 usd_per_mtuTOP PRODUCERS 2025Where tungsten comes fromChina67 kt79%Vietnam3.0 kt3.5%Kazakhstan2.4 kt2.8%North Korea2.0 kt2.4%Russia2.0 kt2.4%Bolivia1.7 kt2.0%Rwanda1.3 kt1.5%Australia1.0 kt1.2%Austria840 t1.0%Spain800 t0.9%Mine production, W content. Source: USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026, estimates.Mine output was about 85 kt in 2025, with China producing about 67 kt (about 79%). Vietnam,Kazakhstan, Russia, North Korea, Bolivia and Rwanda follow. Reserves are about 4.7 Mt, over half inChina. China also dominates processing into APT and powders.1905–2019A century of tungsten production0.00 t21 kt42 kt64 kt85 kt190519211938195419701986200320192019: 84 kt1905: 1.7 ktWorld production, USGS column 'World production'. Source: USGS Data Series 140, historical statistics.PRODUCING COUNTRIES11 countries reported tungsten output in 2025Filled countries produce it; brighter is larger. Outline map simplified from Natural Earth.TRADE FLOWS 2024Biggest tungsten trade routesNorth Korea → China$31 mMyanmar → China$29 mSpain → Austria$22 mBolivia → United States$21 mAustralia → Vietnam$19 mHS 261100: Tungsten ores and concentrates. World trade $273 m in 2024. Source: CEPII BACI (HS22).POLICYOn the critical listsUnited States (USGS): critical 2025European Union: strategic 2024United Kingdom (BGS): critical 2024Australia: critical 2024Canada: critical 2024India: critical 2023South Korea: critical 2023China: strategic 2016EXPORT CONTROLSChina: licensing requirement from 2025. Source: OECD export restrictions inventory and government notices, asrecorded in our data.prospectortrails.comSources: USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries, CEPII BACI, IEA (CC BY 4.0), World Bank,government lists. Figures rounded.PROSPECTOR TRAILSOpen data, drawn in numbers
Tungsten infographic: world production, top producers, reserves, a century of output, producing countries on a map, trade routes, critical lists. Data year 2025.

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The numbers

The figures on the poster, with their sources. Production and reserves are USGS estimates, trade values are CEPII BACI customs data, demand is the IEA's outlook.

World mine production, 2025
85 kt (W content) USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026
Largest producer
China, 67 kt (79% of world) USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026
Top three producers' share
85% USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026
World reserves, 2025
4.7 Mt (W content), largest in China USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026
Critical mineral lists
8 current lists in 8 jurisdictions (Australia, Canada, China, European Union, United Kingdom, India, South Korea, United States) government critical mineral lists
US net import reliance, 2025
50% USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026
Price, 2025
380 usd_per_mtu (Price, concentrate, average in-warehouse Rotterdam, dollars per dry metric ton unit of tungsten trioxide) USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026
World production, 1905
1.7 kt (USGS historical series, as reported) USGS Data Series 140 (historical statistics)
World production, 2019 (historical series)
84 kt USGS Data Series 140 (historical statistics)
Largest trade flow, 2024
North Korea → China, $31 m (HS 261100, Tungsten ores and concentrates); world trade $273 m CEPII BACI trade database
Export controls
China (licensing requirement)

Sources

USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026 · USGS Data Series 140 (historical statistics) · CEPII BACI trade database · government critical mineral lists. Figures are rounded; country names follow our atlas.

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