Ferrotungsten FeW70 and FeW80: Melting Point, Density and China Price Reference

Ferrotungsten Overview and Standard Grades

Ferrotungsten, abbreviated FeW in mill documents, is an iron and tungsten master alloy used to introduce tungsten into steel and cast iron melts. It is produced by reducing tungsten bearing concentrates such as wolframite and scheelite in the presence of iron, so the alloy can be charged straight into a steelmaking furnace without the handling problems of pure tungsten metal. China is the largest producing country and its domestic quotation for the standard grades is followed closely by buyers in tool steel, high speed steel and heat resistant steel plants.

The grades written into purchase orders are normally FeW70, FeW75 and FeW80. The number after the letters denotes the nominal tungsten content, so FeW70 carries in the region of seventy per cent tungsten while FeW80 carries eighty per cent or more. A higher grade costs more per tonne of alloy but cuts the weight that has to be charged for a given tungsten addition, which matters where charging capacity or ladle temperature is limited.

Melting Point and High-Temperature Performance

Ferrotungsten is a refractory alloy. Tungsten itself melts at about 3410 degrees Celsius, the highest melting point of any metal used in engineering alloys, and the master alloy inherits much of that thermal stability. The alloy therefore dissolves in the steel bath without introducing a low melting phase that could volatilise or oxidise before the melt is ready, and the tungsten that is recovered stays in solution through the following process steps.

The high temperature character carries into the finished product. Cutting tools made from tungsten bearing high speed steel keep their hardness and edge geometry during high speed cutting, where friction raises the tool tip temperature far above the range in which plain carbon steel would soften. The same property is used in hot working dies and high temperature valves that must hold their shape in service.

Density, Corrosion Resistance and Strength

Tungsten has a density of about 19.25 grams per cubic centimetre, so ferrotungsten is one of the heaviest additions made to a steel bath. Melt shops allow for the fact that the lumps sink quickly through the slag layer and arrange charging so that the alloy reaches the metal bath rather than being held in the slag.

Hard tungsten carbides formed in the steel matrix raise strength, hardness and resistance to abrasive wear, which is why tungsten bearing grades are chosen for rolls, punches, shear blades and mining tools. Corrosion performance depends on the base grade. In austenitic and duplex stainless steels a tungsten addition improves resistance to pitting and crevice attack in chloride bearing media, so ferrotungsten is specified for pumps, valves and chemical plant components handling aggressive fluids. Tungsten alone does not turn a carbon steel into a corrosion resistant material, and the alloying programme has to match the real service environment.

Typical Specifications for FeW70 and FeW80

Purchase documents state the grade, the tungsten range, the maximum permitted levels of carbon, sulfur, phosphorus and other residual elements, and the screened lump size. The table records the ranges that appear most often in commercial enquiries for Chinese material; the binding limits for an order remain those written into the contract or the governing national standard, and the lot certificate of analysis is what is checked at goods receipt.

Grade	Nominal tungsten content	Typical selection	Residual elements
FeW70	70 to 80 per cent W	general tool steel and wear applications	carbon, sulfur, phosphorus, silicon and manganese held within the grade limits
FeW75	about 75 per cent W and above	high speed steel and hot work tooling	tighter carbon and sulfur ceilings than FeW70
FeW80	80 to 85 per cent W	premium additions where charge weight matters	lowest residual levels, strict carbon control

Lump size is set by the charging system rather than by the alloy chemistry, and the material is screened to the agreed band so that it flows without bridging. Packing keeps the alloy dry, because moisture carried into the ladle adds hydrogen to the melt.

China Price Reference for Ferrotungsten

Ferrotungsten quotations in the Chinese domestic market are published in units of ten thousand yuan per tonne. The range below was recorded for the standard grades on 1 June 2023 and is reported as a structural reference for budgeting rather than as a current offer. Only quotations from the same date and the same column are directly comparable.

Grade	Quoted range, ten thousand yuan per tonne	Quoting region	Movement
FeW70	17.1 to 17.3	Northern China	flat
FeW70	17.1 to 17.3	Hunan	flat
FeW80	18.0 to 18.2	Jiangxi	flat

In absolute terms 17.1 to 17.3 is 171,000 to 173,000 yuan per tonne and 18.0 to 18.2 is 180,000 to 182,000 yuan per tonne. The gap between the two grades reflects the extra tungsten units and the tighter carbon control needed for FeW80. Tungsten concentrate supply, export policy and the energy cost of the reduction step are the main drivers that move these numbers, and a firm price for a shipment has to be taken against a defined grade, quantity, assay basis and delivery term.

FAQ: Ferrotungsten Grades, Properties and Price

Q: What does the number in FeW70 and FeW80 mean?
It is the nominal tungsten content of the master alloy. FeW70 covers general tungsten additions, while FeW80 carries a higher tungsten level for melting routes where charge weight has to be kept down.

Q: Why is ferrotungsten described as a high melting point material?
Tungsten melts at about 3410 degrees Celsius and the iron tungsten master alloy stays refractory, so it dissolves in the bath without forming a volatile low melting phase and the tungsten is not lost to oxidation.

Q: What are the main benefits of tungsten in steel?
Tungsten carbides raise hardness, strength and resistance to abrasive wear, and they help the steel retain hardness at high temperature, which is the basis of its use in cutting tools, dies, rolls and wear parts.

Q: Does tungsten improve corrosion resistance?
In austenitic and duplex stainless steels it improves resistance to pitting and crevice corrosion in chloride bearing media. In carbon and low alloy steels the alloying programme has to be selected for the actual service environment.

Q: How should the quoted price be read?
Domestic quotations are given in ten thousand yuan per tonne for a stated grade and date. The 1 June 2023 reference of 17.1 to 17.3 for FeW70 and 18.0 to 18.2 for FeW80 shows the relative spread between the two grades.

Q: What should goods receipt inspection cover?
Check the certificate of analysis for tungsten and residual elements, verify the screened lump size band, and confirm that the packing is dry, since moisture charged with the alloy adds hydrogen to the melt.