Developing Story
US-Backed Tungsten Mining in Kazakhstan vs. Chinese Dominance
US-backed mining projects in Kazakhstan are attempting to break China's decades-long dominance of the tungsten supply chain, as global prices have surged over 200% since May 2025 following Chinese export controls.
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The competition to reduce China's dominance of the global tungsten supply chain is increasingly centered on Kazakhstan, where United States-backed mining projects are attempting to compete in an industry where Chinese investment already holds an operating foothold (SCMP, October 3). Global tungsten prices have surged more than 200 per cent since May 2025, according to commodity and energy information provider Argus Media, a rise attributed to urgency around developing alternative supplies after Beijing imposed export controls on selected tungsten products (SCMP, October 3).
Tungsten is a critical mineral used in defense, electronics, and industrial cutting tools, and China's long-standing dominance of its supply chain has made it a flashpoint in broader US-China strategic and trade competition, paralleling similar disputes over rare earths and other critical minerals.