Tungsten carbide scrap, known for its exceptional strength and hardness, consists of tungsten and cobalt. Tungsten carbide is used across mining, metalworking, cutting tools and drill bits, and with the rising demand for recycled critical materials it holds high value as scrap. Here are seven ways to get the most from it.
1. Understand the market
The price of tungsten carbide scrap moves with supply and demand, global conditions and policy. Keep a pulse on those changes and sell when demand is high and prices are favorable. Our sales desk will tell you where the market is today.
2. Stay informed about recycling practices
Know which processes your material will go through. Clean cemented carbide is reclaimed directly; brazed, coated or mixed material needs chemical processing and is priced accordingly.
3. Sort your scrap
Buyers pay more for sorted, clean scrap. Separate inserts from rounds, carbide from brazed steel shanks, and heavy alloys from cemented carbide. Sorting removes doubt about composition, and doubt is what lowers a price.
4. Work with a reputable dealer
A reliable buyer prices transparently against the current market, grades with instruments rather than guesswork, and shows you the settlement before paying. That is how Blue Star Alloys operates.
5. Sell in quantity
Larger lots earn higher per-pound prices. If you can accumulate material to the 500 lb or 1,000 lb tiers, do so; above 2,000 lb we quote individually.
6. Keep it clean and dry
Oil, coolant and contamination add weight that is not carbide and cost time at the grading station. Drain and dry material before it ships.
7. Document the material
Photos, approximate weights and known grades let a buyer quote accurately in advance and settle quickly on arrival.
Recycling tungsten carbide scrap generates meaningful income and keeps a strategic material in circulation. The goal is not just to sell, but to sell smart. Questions about your carbide are welcome at sales@bsa-usa.com.