Storyline Emerging industries underpin strong tungsten prices in China Analysts in China say prices for the metal tungsten are expected to remain high in 2026. Tungsten is hard, dense, and has the highest melting point of any metal. It’s an essential material in the mining, metal working and petroleum industries. In the production of PCBs, or printed circuit boards, it’s used on drill bits. As demand for PCBs continues to rise, companies like the Tungsten and High-tech Materials Co are playing a significant role in meeting that demand. Last year, the firm produced 25 percent of the country’s cemented carbide products, of which tungsten is a main ingredient. Company executives are now focused on evolving uses for the metal including in the production of AI circuits, and in aerospace and nuclear fusion products. Wang Shequan, Deputy General Manager, China Tungsten and High-tech Materials Co., Ltd.: "We have many directions for research and development. For example, the tungsten wire project for photovoltaics—such as 26-micrometer tungsten wires with a strength of over 6 gigapascals—has been widely adopted by many users." China produces the most tungsten in the world, responsible for around 80 percent of the global total. [Restrictions: No access Chinese mainland]