holding tight til it hurts, page-24

Hope we are all ready for Monday. ;)

A brief overview of Tungsten and its price which currently sits on an April high of US$262.143/MTU.

The price is going parabolic so we can dramatically increase our own estimates already. ie. it is no longer US$220/MTU, it is now a good bit higher.

Tungsten Prices

Tungsten prices increased significantly in 2005 from a level of US$65-95/MTU in 2004 to US$290 in mid-2005 and are currently strong. Prices are generally quoted per metric ton unit ("MTU" - one hundredth of a metric ton of 1,000 kilograms) of contained tungsten trioxide (WO3). One MTU contains 10 kilograms of WO3 or 7.93 kilograms of tungsten ("W").

Tungsten is not traded on an exchange, such as the London Metal Exchange (LME), and, therefore, no terminal or futures market exists for tungsten products, where producers, consumers and traders can fix an official or settlement price. The only price information that is available globally is published by the London Metal Bulletin and is based on information from producers, consumers and traders.

The prices in the form of tungsten most usually quoted, ammonium paratungstate ("APT"), in the last five years are shown in the graph and in the table at the end of this section.

Current trends that have important implications for tungsten prices include China's recent growth rate. China is now the largest consumer of tungsten in the world. Also, subsidies for state owned tungsten mines in China have been reduced and a number of these mines have closed. Ore reserves of operating mines are being depleted. Current world mine supply of tungsten is believed to be less than usage, with the difference coming from stockpiles. The formerly large Russian stockpile is now depleted or close to depletion. In addition, global demand for tungsten has recently increased with continuing growth of the principal economies.

In the western world, mine supply is restricted to Beralt's Panasqueira mine, the recently re-opened Cantung mine in Canada, Bolivian production and smaller quantities from other sources. The only other significant producer, in Austria, is fully integrated forward and production is not available for sale. Current mine production in the west is significantly less than western usage. There has consequently been a tightening in the market for tungsten concentrates.

In 2005, market prices started to move upwards. The key quotation, for ammonium paratungstate in Europe, ranged between US$65-95/MTU in 2004, and increased dramatically to the range of US$270-295/MTU by June 2005. Mid-market prices in 2006 and 2007 have ranged between around US$245 and US$282/MTU.

http://www.primarymetals.ca/s/TungstenPrices.asp