How is tungsten carbide scrap priced? Tungsten content, cobalt binder ratio, contamination and the international APT market all directly influence your price.
Tungsten carbide scrap pricing is not a fixed per-kilogram rate. Carbide scrap value is driven by tungsten content, cobalt binder ratio, contamination level and the international APT (Ammonium Paratungstate) market.
1. Tungsten Content — The Pricing Foundation
About 85-92% of carbide scrap value comes from tungsten content. Solid carbide plates (sandwich plates, milling inserts) typically contain 88-94% tungsten, while swarf and powder forms have lower density. Each batch is analyzed with an XRF spectrometer for exact composition.
2. Cobalt Binder Ratio
Cobalt (Co) is the binder holding tungsten carbide grains together. Typical content is 6-12%. Cobalt is itself a valuable metal — recovered during recycling for additional value.
3. Contamination — The Price Reducer
- Oils and cutting fluids: Common in swarf and sludge form — pre-cleaning required.
- Magnetic metals: Steel holders, iron particles — magnetic separation is mandatory.
- Coating layers: TiN, TiAlN coatings are not a major issue, but some (DLC) slow down the recycling process.
4. The International APT Market
Tungsten trades worldwide via APT (Ammonium Paratungstate) unit price. Metal Bulletin (London), Asian Metal and Fastmarkets are our reference benchmarks. When APT rises, carbide scrap prices follow — sale timing matters.
5. Bolelli Metal's Pricing Process
We weigh your scrap, photograph it, perform XRF analysis, and quote transparently against the live APT price. Send a sample and we'll quote within 24 hours.