Mitsubishi Materials tungsten recycling capacity doubles by 2029

Mitsubishi Materials Expands Tungsten Recycling Capacity

Mitsubishi Materials Corporation announced that its subsidiary, Japan New Metals Co Ltd, will strengthen tungsten recycling capacity to reduce reliance on imported rare-metal materials from specific countries. The company plans to install hydrometallurgical equipment at Japan New Metals’ Akita Plant in Akita City and double its annual production capacity for ammonium paratungstate (APT) made from tungsten scrap to 2,400 tons. The investment is expected to total approximately JPY 8 billion, with operations at the new facility scheduled to begin in April 2029.

Akita Plant to Double APT Production From Scrap

The expansion will equip the Akita Plant with hydrometallurgical processing capabilities designed to increase the volume of tungsten scrap that can be converted into ammonium paratungstate. The planned capacity of 2,400 tons annually represents a doubling of the plant’s existing APT production capacity from tungsten scrap. The project has also received approval from Japan’s Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry as a plan intended to contribute to the stable supply of critical minerals. This approval connects the investment with Japan’s broader objective of strengthening the domestic availability of strategically important mineral resources.

Project Targets Lower Reliance on Imported Materials

Japan New Metals aims to use the expanded recycling operation to replace approximately 1,200 tons of imported intermediate materials each year with domestically recycled raw materials. The initiative is therefore intended to reduce dependence on imports originating from specific countries while increasing the role of recovered tungsten in the company’s supply chain. The new facility is scheduled to start operations in April 2029, giving the project a defined implementation timeline. The planned investment of approximately JPY 8 billion will support the installation of the hydrometallurgical equipment required for the expanded recycling process.

Mitsubishi Materials Targets Full Tungsten Recycling

The recycling expansion is also connected to Mitsubishi Materials Corporation’s longer-term tungsten strategy. Its mid-term business plan calls for a 100% recycling rate at its tungsten product plants by the fiscal year beginning in April 2030, identified as FY 2030. The Akita Plant investment is consequently positioned as part of a broader effort to increase the use of recycled raw materials within the tungsten business. By increasing scrap-based APT production and replacing imported intermediate materials, the project supports the company’s stated objective of expanding recycling across its tungsten-related operations.

Industry Impact & Outlook

The Akita Plant expansion could strengthen the domestic tungsten supply chain by increasing Japan’s ability to recover and process tungsten scrap into APT rather than relying as heavily on imported intermediate materials. For Mitsubishi Materials and Japan New Metals, the project also provides additional recycling capacity ahead of the FY 2030 target for a 100% recycling rate at tungsten product plants. The planned April 2029 start will be an important implementation milestone, while the scale of the investment and the government’s critical-minerals approval indicate that domestic recycling capacity is being treated as a relevant component of supply stability.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Mitsubishi Materials planning for tungsten recycling?
The company plans to expand tungsten recycling through Japan New Metals’ Akita Plant by installing hydrometallurgical equipment and increasing annual APT production from tungsten scrap to 2,400 tons. The approximately JPY 8 billion project is scheduled to begin operations in April 2029. Japan New Metals expects the expanded facility to replace about 1,200 tons of imported intermediate materials each year with domestically recycled raw materials. Mitsubishi Materials’ broader mid-term business plan also targets a 100% recycling rate at its tungsten product plants by the fiscal year beginning in April 2030.