Tungsten can
be added to steel melts as ferrotungsten, a master alloy containing
between 75% and 80% tungsten; tungsten melting base, which is a master alloy containing up to 36% tungsten; or tungsten metal scrap.
China
dominates world ferrotungsten production. In 2005, inadequate supplies
of tungsten concentrates within China, combined with increased demand
for tungsten materials, resulted in large increases in the prices of tungsten concentrates and downstream materials, including ferrotungsten.
