High-quality tungsten and tungsten carbide powders as well as tungsten chemicals from proprietary recycling and production technology.
H.C. Starck Tungsten GmbH
Goslar (Metallurgie Park Oker) · Sarnia, Canada · Ganzhou, ChinaNew on Amplifa
Powder metallurgy from tungsten for over 100 years
H.C. Starck Tungsten Powders is a company of Mitsubishi Materials Corporation that develops, produces and distributes high-performance powders made from the technology metal tungsten and its compounds. The product range extends from tungsten chemicals such as ammonium paratungstate (APW) and ammonium metatungstate (AMW) to tungsten metal, tungsten carbide and tungsten fused carbide powders as well as tantalum and niobium carbide and mixed carbides. From the raw material tungsten, APW is first produced, which is then processed into metal and carbide powders in ultrafine to coarse grain sizes. The majority of the raw material demand at the headquarters in Goslar is met from recycled tungsten-containing scrap; with an investment of around €50 million, recycling capacity will be expanded to around 7,000 tonnes per year by 2028. Customers come from cemented carbide, oil and gas exploration, aviation, automotive, chemicals, medical technology, the electrical industry and battery technology. In addition to the brands starck2print® (powders for additive manufacturing) and starck2charge® (battery materials), the company offers custom powder development, application engineering support and recycling as a service.
- Site
- Goslar
- Processes
- Production of tungsten powders by reduction of tungsten oxides under hydrogen atmosphere, Production of tungsten carbide powders (incl. tungsten fused carbide) from the precursor, Production of tungsten chemicals (ammonium paratungstate, ammonium metatungstate, tungstic acid,, Production of tantalum and niobium carbide powders (TaC, NbC, (Ta,Nb)C mixed carbides), Recycling of tungsten-containing scrap/residues into high-purity ammonium paratungstate (capacity at, Cobalt recycling from metal scrap (dissolution, electrolysis, precipitation, extraction and, Black mass recycling for lithium-ion batteries (AREBAM project), Tungsten powders for additive manufacturing (starck2print®), qualified for laser powder bed fusion
- Materials
- Tungsten metal powder (W), Tungsten carbide powder (WC), Tungsten fused carbide (WSC), Tantalum carbide, Niobium carbide, Tantalum niobium carbide (mixed carbide), Ammonium paratungstate (APW), Ammonium metatungstate (AMW)
- Certificates
- EMAS (environmental management), CO₂e footprint certification (Scopes 1, 2, 3), ISO 9001, ISO 14001
- Founded
- 1920
- Employees
- around 560
- Industries
- Mechanical and tool engineering, Automotive industry, Aviation, Oil and gas exploration, Chemical industry, Medical technology
- 01
Procurement of primary and secondary raw materials (tungsten-containing scrap)
- 02
Recycling and processing into high-purity APW
- 03
Production of tungsten chemicals (APW, AMW, oxides, tungstic acid)
- 04
Reduction to tungsten metal powder or carburization to tungsten carbide/WSC
- 05
Production of tantalum/niobium carbide and alloy powders (W-Ni-Fe, W-Ni-Cu),
- 06
Custom powder development and application engineering support
- 07
Analytics in the company's own laboratory
Production sites
Goslar
DECompany headquarters, largest production site, R&D, recycling (Metallurgie Park Oker)
- Materials
- Tungsten chemicals, tungsten metal, tungsten carbide, Ta/Nb carbide, cobalt recycling
- Recycling plant for tungsten-containing secondary raw materials (capacity in future approx. 7,000 tonnes per year, planned 2028)
- High-pressure reverse osmosis plant for AMW concentration (approx. 1,000 tonnes per year AMW)
- Accredited analytical laboratory
Sarnia
CATungsten carbide production site (H.C. Starck Canada Inc.)
- Materials
- Tungsten metal, tungsten carbide, tungsten fused carbide
- Tungsten carbide production plant (inaugurated 1997)
Ganzhou
CNJoint-venture production site (H.C. Starck Jiangwu Tungsten Specialties)
- Materials
- Tungsten metal, tungsten carbide
Products
Inside the production
Industries
Processes & technical limits
| Processes | Tolerance | Max. part | Weight | Lot size | Materials |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Production of tungsten powders by reduction of tungsten oxides under hydrogen atmosphereCasting | – | – | – | – | Tungsten, Tungsten oxide |
| Production of tungsten carbide powders (incl. tungsten fused carbide) from the precursorCasting | – | – | – | – | Tungsten carbide, Ammonium paratungstate |
| Production of tungsten chemicals (ammonium paratungstate, ammonium metatungstate, tungstic acid,Engineering | – | – | – | – | Ammonium paratungstate (APW), Ammonium metatungstate (AMW), Tungstic acid, Blue tungsten oxide, Yellow tungsten oxide, Sodium tungstate |
| Production of tantalum and niobium carbide powders (TaC, NbC, (Ta,Nb)C mixed carbides)Casting | – | – | – | – | Tantalum carbide (TaC), Niobium carbide (NbC), Tantalum niobium carbide (Ta,Nb)C |
| Recycling of tungsten-containing scrap/residues into high-purity ammonium paratungstate (capacity atSurface | – | – | – | – | Tungsten, Cemented carbide scrap (WC-Co) |
| Cobalt recycling from metal scrap (dissolution, electrolysis, precipitation, extraction andSurface | – | – | – | – | Cobalt, Cemented carbide scrap (WC-Co) |
| Black mass recycling for lithium-ion batteries (AREBAM project)Surface | – | – | – | – | Black mass, Cobalt, Lithium |
| Tungsten powders for additive manufacturing (starck2print®), qualified for laser powder bed fusionAdditive | – | – | – | – | Tungsten |
| Tungsten chemicals for the battery segment (starck2charge®), cathode and anode materialsPlastics | – | – | – | – | Ammonium metatungstate (AMW), Blue tungsten oxide, Yellow tungsten oxide, Tungstic acid, Sodium tungstate |
| Production of tungsten heavy metal alloy powders (W-Ni-Fe, W-Ni-Cu) andCasting | – | – | – | – | W-Ni-Fe, W-Ni-Cu, W-Cu |
3 Anlagen & Maschinen
| Machine | Manufacturer / model | Quantity | Working area | Year built | Site |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tungsten carbide production plant | – | 1 | – | 1997 | Sarnia, Canada |
| Recycling plant for tungsten-containing secondary raw materials (new construction: two process and | – | 1 | – | 2026 (Baub | Goslar, Germany |
| High-pressure reverse osmosis plant for concentration of ammonium metatungstate solutions (ca. 1.000 | H.C. Starck Tungsten Powders / OSMO Membrane Systems | 1 | – | – | Goslar, Germany |
Additional services
Reference customers
Quality and certification
Certified manufacturing processes and quality management procedures ensure consistent custom material parameters; a dedicated accredited analytical laboratory is available at the headquarters in Goslar.
| Evidence | Goslar |
|---|---|
| EMAS (environmental management) | |
| CO₂e footprint certification (Scopes 1, 2, 3) | |
| ISO 9001 | |
| ISO 14001 |
Company history
- 1920
Hermann C. Starck founds a trading business for metals and ores in Berlin.
- 1935
Majority stake in Gebr. Borchers AG in Goslar, which had been producing tungsten metal for steel refinement since 1900.
- 1948
First tantalum oxide production in Goslar.
- 1986
Bayer AG acquires the majority stake in H.C. Starck.
- 1996
Foundation of H.C. Starck Canada Inc. in Sarnia.
- 1997
New tungsten carbide production plant inaugurated in Sarnia.
- 2007
Sale to the financial investors Advent International and Carlyle Group.
- 2011
Joint venture with Jiangxi Rare Metals Tungsten Holding Group in China.
- 2016
Operating business of the Tungsten Powders division transferred to H.C. Starck Tungsten GmbH.
- 2020
Masan High-Tech Materials takes over the tungsten business.
- 2022
15% stake in Nyobolt Limited for £45 million; brands starck2charge® and starck2print®.
- 2023
EMAS certification of the headquarters in Goslar.
- 2024
Acquisition by Mitsubishi Materials Europe B.V. completed (17.12.2024).
- 2026
Investment of around €50 million in tungsten recycling in Goslar; CO₂e footprint at the Goslar site certified.