[Ferro-Alloys.com]China’s tungsten prices have continued to be pushed upward by Minmetals’ unabated tungsten concentrate buying spree. Anyone with stock in China is holding onto it for dear life because of expectations that Ganzhou Tungsten Assn. and Minmetals will again raise their indicated floor prices this month. Spot prices for tungsten concentrate in China have surged to $383-390 per mtu compared to $353-358 per mtu in mid-June. Minmetals raised its indication price to as high as $390 per mtu last month. Driven by increased ore costs, APT producers said the higher ore costs left them no option other than to raise their prices. Even with thin business and resistance to higher prices, Chinese APT producers raised their spot prices to $405-410 per mtu, f.o.b., compared to $385-400 per mtu. Western traders are pegging APT prices at about $400 per mtu, but they concede that there is almost no consumer buying activity taking place. Last week, a Ukrainian consumer reportedly bought FeW at $50 per kg. At the same time, a European mill was able to purchase 10 mt at about $47.50. Market sources said the quality of the FeW might have accounted for the lower price. In the US, FeW prices narrowed to $23.75-24.50 per lb compared to $23.50-24.50. The Chinese government issued the second set of APT export quotas for 1,936 mt. China generally allocates export quotas twice a year and the second set is 40% of the annual total. The top five licensed APT exporters are: Minmetals, 487 mt; Jiangxi Tungsten, 468 mt; Zigong Cemented I/E, 288 mt; Fujian Jinxin Tungsten, 176 mt and Zhuzhou Cemented Carbide, 163 mt. Beijing has also allocated export quotas of 3,898 mt for tungsten trioxide. The top five exporters are: Xiamen Tungsten, 1,074 mt; Minmetals 1,037 mt; Jiangxi Tungsten, 723 mt; Zhuzhou Cemented Carbide, 401 mt and Nanchang Cemented Carbide, 401 mt. Export quotas for tungsten powder are 1,540 mt. The top five exporters are: Minmetals, 462 mt; Xiamen Jinlu Specialty Alloys, 215 mt; Guangdong Xianglu Tungsten, 172 mt; Zigong Cemented Carbide, 148 mt and Zhuzhou Cemented Carbide, 135 mt.