The Four Kinds of Tungsten Scrap
Tungsten is bought for its tungsten content, but a buyer also needs to know what else comes with it. Cobalt in carbide, nickel in heavy alloy and iron in ferro tungsten each send the scrap to a different recycler, so the four kinds are never mixed.
| Kind | Tungsten | What else is in it | Typical forms | Page |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pure tungsten | About 99.95% | Trace only | Furnace elements and shields, sheet, rod, wire, pure electrodes | Pure tungsten scrap |
| Tungsten heavy alloy | 90 to 97% (ASTM B777 Classes 1 to 4) | Binder metal, which can make it magnetic | Counterweights, radiation shields, balance weights, machining chips | Tungsten heavy alloy scrap |
| Tungsten carbide | About 85% in a WC-10%Co grade | Cobalt binder, typically 3 to 20% | Inserts, end mills, drills, rods, mining buttons, dies | Tungsten carbide scrap |
| Ferro tungsten | 75 to 85% (FeW80) | Iron balance | Crushing fines, surplus drums, off-grade lots | Ferro tungsten scrap |
How to Tell Tungsten Scrap Apart
- Weight in the hand: all four are heavy, but pure tungsten (about 19.3 g/cm³) and heavy alloy (16.85 to 18.85 g/cm³) are heavier than carbide (about 14.5 g/cm³ for a 10% cobalt grade).
- Magnet: heavy alloy may or may not pick up a magnet. ASTM B777 notes the binder can make it magnetic, and non-magnetic material has to be ordered as such. A magnet alone does not settle the grade.
- Shape and finish: carbide is very hard and usually comes as tool shapes with a ground edge. Heavy alloy is machinable, so it comes as machined parts and chips.
- Reading: handheld XRF shows the binder metals in heavy alloy, cobalt in carbide, iron in ferro tungsten, and almost nothing but tungsten in pure scrap.
Tungsten Scrap Buyer, Importer and Exporter in India
Mipra Steel handles tungsten scrap by kind and by form, so a lot of heavy alloy chips is not discounted because a few carbide inserts went into the same drum.
Sell Tungsten Scrap
Tell us the kind, form, weight, location and any certificates or drawings. Photos with something for scale help. We review incoming enquiries and respond with relevant next steps.
We buy tungsten scrap from sellers across India, and much of it reaches us from the south: Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Chennai, Coimbatore and Visakhapatnam. Our head office is in Khetwadi, Mumbai.
Lots are sorted and prepared before dispatch; see how we sort and prepare scrap lots. For trade across borders, see the importer and buyer page and the exporter page.
Tungsten Scrap Import and Export
Tungsten waste and scrap is declared under heading 8101.97. Ferro tungsten is a ferro alloy and is described on its own page. Documents follow the same pattern as other alloy scrap: invoice, packing list, certificate of origin and the agreed analysis. See export documents for alloy scrap.
Related Reading
Tungsten FAQ
What kinds of tungsten scrap does Mipra Steel buy?
Pure tungsten, tungsten heavy alloy, tungsten carbide and ferro tungsten, each kept as a separate lot.
Which HS code applies to tungsten scrap?
Heading 8101.97, tungsten waste and scrap.
Can tungsten heavy alloy and carbide be sold together?
They can, but they go to different recyclers, so a mixed lot is valued lower than the two sold apart.
Is tungsten heavy alloy magnetic?
It can be. ASTM B777 notes that the binder may make it magnetic, and non-magnetic material has to be specified when ordered.
Does Mipra Steel publish tungsten scrap prices?
No. Offers depend on the kind, form, analysis and the market on the day, and are made lot by lot.
Sources and Review
Figures are quoted as published in these sources; any value we could not confirm has been left out.
- ASTM B777-07, Standard Specification for Tungsten Base, High-Density Metal: Table 1 (Classes 1 to 4, nominal tungsten and density) and the note on magnetic response.
- Pure tungsten, tungsten carbide and ferro tungsten figures as listed and sourced on their own pages on this site.
Published by Mipra Steel, Khetwadi, Mumbai · Last updated