Top 10 Tungsten-producing Countries | INN
Tungsten’s importance in a wide range of industrial categories, from smartphones to car batteries, means demand is likely to rise.
At the same time, supply chain disruptions and increased production costs are weighing on global supply, making it important to learn about the top global tungsten producers and tungsten mines.
Tungsten, also known as wolfram, has many applications. It’s used in electrical wires, as well as in welding, heavy metal alloys, turbine blades and as a lead substitute in bullets. The metal can also be found in heating and electrical contacts.
Tungsten prices have traded upward in recent years, and the industry’s supply and demand dynamics are pushing it even higher in 2026.
With that in mind, it’s worth being aware of which countries produce the most tungsten.
According to the US Geological Survey, global tungsten production came in at 85,000 metric tons (MT) in 2025 compared to 2024’s 82,000 MT. The vast majority of tungsten mining and processing occurs in China. When Beijing added certain tungsten products to its export control list in 2025 amid a trade dispute with Washington, already tight supply was worsened.
While South Korea is not currently a top tungsten producer, Almonty Industries (TSX:AII,OTCQX:ALMTF) recently began production at the Sangdong tungsten mine, marking the restart of one of the world’s historically largest tungsten operations after more than three decades.
It is also important to know where the highest tungsten reserves by country are located, as some countries with lower production may have high potential for increased tungsten production in the future.
Here’s an overview of tungsten production by country in 2025, as per the most recent data from the US Geological Survey.
Top 10 tungsten producers and reserves by country
1. China
Tungsten production: 67,000 metric tons
Tungsten reserves: 2.5 million metric tons
In 2025, China produced 67,000 metric tons of tungsten, making it the world’s largest producer of the metal by a wide margin, accounting for nearly 80 percent of total annual tungsten output worldwide. China also holds the most tungsten reserves in the world at 2.5 million metric tons.
That said, China’s tungsten production has been falling in recent years — the Asian nation has limited the quantity of tungsten-mining and export licenses it awards and has imposed quotas on tungsten concentrate production. The country has also recently increased environmental inspections.
China has been the main source of tungsten imported into the US since 2017, and the country accounted for 27 percent of US tungsten imports in 2024.
In response to US President Donald Trump’s imposition of 10 percent tariffs on imports from China in February 2025, the Government of China immediately announced strict export controls on tungsten and four other key metals used in several…
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