Ref. Ares(2016)6845088 - 07/12/2016 MSP-REFRAM Coordination and Support Action (CSA) This project has received funding from the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 688993. Start date : 2015-12-01 Duration : 19 Months Report on current and future needs of selected refractory metals in EU Authors : Dr. Didier HARTMANN (CEA) Yang Xiao Sheng (GTK), Susanna Casanovas (AMPHOS 21), Rocio Barros Garcia (ICCRAM), Maria Gonzalez Moya (IDENER) MSP-REFRAM - D1.1 - Issued on 2016-11-30 10:18:25 by CEA MSP-REFRAM - D1.1 - Issued on 2016-11-30 10:18:25 by CEA MSP-REFRAM - Contract Number: 688993 Multi-Stakeholder Platform for a Secure Supply of Refractory Metals in Europe Document title Report on current and future needs of selected refractory metals in EU Dr. Didier HARTMANN Yang Xiao Sheng (GTK), Susanna Casanovas (AMPHOS 21), Rocio Author(s) Barros Garcia (ICCRAM), Maria Gonzalez Moya (IDENER) Number of pages 53 Document type Deliverable Work Package WP1 Document number D1.1 Issued by CEA Date of completion 2016-11-30 10:18:25 Dissemination level Public Summary The 5 selected refractory metals are more or less strategic for Europe, even if some of them (Re, Mo, Ta) are not included in the twenty critical raw materials for the EU20. Understanding the EU supply-demand, trading and applications of these metals is important for taking good decisions and ensure their supply according to the future needs and therefore the development of Europe. For each metal, a first part has been devoted to applications in the EU and how far the equilibrium is reached. In a second part, the market trends of the different uses and the substitutability opportunities have been assessed based on different assumptions, in order to estimate the future needs during the 10 coming years. Eventually, a set of solutions is proposed for each metal, from exploiting new primary or secondary resources to an increase of recycling rates. Approval Date By 2016-12-01 09:06:04 Pr. Jordi BRUNO (AMPHOS21) 2016-12-05 07:56:37 Mr. BOURG STéPHANE (CEA) MSP-REFRAM - D1.1 - Issued on 2016-11-30 10:18:25 by CEA CONTENT Current supply demand situation of Tungsten in the European Union .................................................................. 2 Current supply demand situation of Rhenium in the European Union ................................................................. 14 Current supply demand situation of Molybdenium in the European Union ........................................................ 21 Current supply demand situation of Niobium in the European Union ................................................................. 32 Current supply demand situation of Tantalum in the European Union ................................................................ 44 Appendix 1. Use of refractory metals in the ITER fusion reactor .......................................................................... 52 MSP‐REFRAM DX.X [Title] Rev.0| 1 CURRENT SUPPLY DEMAND SITUATION OF TUNGSTEN IN THE EUROPEAN UNION INTRODUCTION Tungsten is listed as one of critical raw materials in Europe [10] with high economic importance and supply risk. The major sources of tungsten include primary mining and recycling. China is the major producer of primary tungsten with estimated 85% of world mine production. Europe has mines of tungsten in its territory but the mine production still doesn’t meet the demand of the European industries. Cemented carbides, steel and alloys, mill products, and chemicals and specialists are the main applications of tungsten. In the report the tungsten productions from mines and scraps recycling, major suppliers and the demand of tungsten in Europe are presented. In addition, the future demand of tungsten in Europe is discussed based on the collected data. CURRENT SUPPLY AND DEMAND MINE PRODUCTION (TUNGSTEN CONCENTRATE) According to the most recent US Geological Survey (USGS) report [1] on the metal, world tungsten production in 2013 was 81,400 tonnes, and in 2015 it reached 87,000 tons, an increase over 2014’s 86,800 tonnes. The European countries which currently produce tungsten from mines include Austria, Spain, Portugal and the UK. They ranked 7 to 10th in the list of the world’s top tungsten‐producing countries in 2015. Austria, produced 870 tonnes of tungsten in 2015, the same amount it produced in 2014 mainly from the Mittersill mine. Spain produced 730 tonnes and 800 tonnes of tungsten in 2015 and 2014, respectively. Portugal’s tungsten output was 630 tonnes in 2015 and 671 tonnes in 2014. The Panasqueira mine is Portugal’s largest tungsten‐ producing mine. Finally, the UK made it onto the board with 600 tonnes of production. Wolf Minerals opened its Hemerdon tungsten mine in Devon in the fall of 2015. The total mine productions of tungsten in 2014 and 2015 were 2,341 and 2,830 tonnes in Europe. In 2013 2.52% of global tungsten mine production (81,400 t) was from Austria, Portugal and Spain [1]. According to 2013 data from the International Tungsten Industry Association (ITIA), the recycling rate (RR) was 50% in Europe and the United States in contrast to 30% in Japan although the global recycling rate of tungsten was 10‐25% in 2011. It was reported [5] that since 2008 the tungsten consumption in Europe was about 10,000 tonnes. Because the recycling rate was 50% the tungsten production from recycling was about 5,000 tonnes in recent years. MSP‐REFRAM DX.X [Title] Rev.0| 2 The total production in the year of 2013, 2014 and 2015 can be estimated by combining the mine production and the production from recycling which are shown in Table 1. Table 1: Production of tungsten from mining and end‐of‐life scraps in EU (unit: tonnes) Mine End‐of‐life scrap Total 2013 2051 5000 7051 2014 2341 5000 7341 2015 2830 5000 7830 TUNGSTEN CARBIDE Tungsten carbide is the largest application of tungsten. In 2005, 14,600 tonnes of tungsten carbide was produced in Europe according to the report [3] and the global production of tungsten carbide was 39,000 tonnes. SUPPLIERS OF TUNGSTEN IN EUROPE The major suppliers of tungsten in Europe are distributed in the countries of UK, Austria, Spain, Germany, Belgium, Sweden, Luxembourg, Italy, France and Finland. As shown in Table 2 [4] their businesses are involved in the products of Concentrates, Hardmetal / Cemented Carbide, Oxides and Acid, Tungstates, Other Tungsten Chemicals, Ferrotungsten, Scrap / Recycling, Tungsten / Tungsten Carbide Powder and Sintered Tungsten Products. A & M Minerals & Metals Ltd., UK Incorporated in 1990 with Headquarters in London, UK and overseas operations and representatives in Belgium, Brazil, Spain and Vietnam. Main activities were established in the sourcing and supply of the more specialized minerals, intermediates and metals with an emphasis on attributes associated with specific applications. Interests have since progressively broadened to encompass a wide range of metallurgical and chemical raw materials, by‐products, non‐ferrous scraps, residues and wastes for downstream use, reclamation and recycling. Products and activities are: Concentrates, Scrap / Recycling, Tungstates, Oxides and Acid, Other Tungsten Chemicals, Ferrotungsten. Amalgamated Metal Corporation Plc., UK Founded in 1972 as a division of the AMC Group, a privately owned group of companies with historic roots in the production and trade of metals dating back to the early 1900s. Headquartered in London, UK, with representative offices globally, providing expertise in facilitating trade by offering services such as marketing, agency, hedging, logistics and credit. Activities range from futures broking and investment services to the international supply of the full range of base and minor metals, with a strong focus on tungsten bearing materials. MSP‐REFRAM DX.X [Title] Rev.0| 3 Products and activities are: Concentrates, Scrap / Recycling, Tungstates, Oxides and Acid and Ferrotungsten. Wolfram Bergbau‐und Hutten AG, Austria Founded in 1975, Wolfram Bergbau und Hütten AG is an integrated tungsten metal and tungsten carbide powder producer located in Austria. The company runs its own Scheelite mine in Mittersill, near Salzburg and has tungsten recycling facilities, an APT and powder plant in St Martin near Graz, Austria. The company specialises in tailor‐made tungsten carbide powders for the hardmetal industry. Products range from ultra‐fine powders in the tenth micrometer size to coarse powders with several ten microns of particle size. Products and activities are: Concentrates, Scrap / Recycling, Tungstates, Oxides and Acid, and Tungsten / Tungsten Carbide Powder. Saloro SLU, Spain Founded in Spain in 2004, is the owner and developer/operator of Barruecopardo Tungsten Mine in the Salamanca region of Spain and product: tungsten concentrate. Saxony Minerals & Exploration AG, Germany Has received the mining rights to mine tungsten, tin and other amended ore in Pöhla‐ Globenstein, Ezgebirge, Germany. The processing of tungsten ore ‐ based on dry mechanical procedures ‐ using X‐ray transmission devices and unique opto sensoric systems ‐ is ongoing. The company starts the feasibility study and the mining application for the Mining Agency in October 2013 and product: tungsten concentrate. Specialty Metals Resources SA, Belgium A trading house with a strong presence in Africa and China and is active in Tungsten, Cobalt, Tantalum and Niobium. The Company is active in Tungsten, Cobalt, Tantalum and Niobium. In addition to its trading activities, the company is involved in mining and toll conversion