Ganzhou,being the birth place of Chinese tungsten industry, is extremely rich in tungsten source. So when tungsten is talked about, people will naturally focus their eyes on Ganzhou, just like that oil will remind people of Middle East.
Tungsten,as a rare and refractory metal, is an important strategically metal. As estimated the tungsten content in stratum is only I in the grade of ppm. But it is very rich in China. 65% of total tungsten deposit in the world is in China. It ranks the first in the world. From stratigraphical analysis the tungsten content in stratum of Ganzhou is 9.53-12 ppm and this is more than 7 times over the world average value of 1.33 ppm. The deposit of tungsten and the output of tungsten concentrate in Ganzhou, each take 30% that of total in China. Among them the deposit of high grade wolframite takes as much as 70% that of total in China and 60% in the world. So Ganzhou is called as "Tungsten capital of the world".
Tungsten industry in Ganzhou has contributed greatly to the social and economical construction of China either before or after the establishment of the PRC. It's a centurial hardship for tungsten industry in Ganzhou experiencing the development stage from nothing to powerful, from little to large. After tens of years'construction and developing, a great change has been taken place in Ganzhou and its tungsten industry has become the first main industry branch whose sales value is more than RMB10 billion. Ganzhou is transferred from main production area of tungsten concentrate to that of metallurgical products and is now transferring to that of value added tungsten products. The fast development of tungsten industry in recent years is only one example for the rapid economical development of Ganzhou.
Preface
Ganzhou is located in the south of Jiangxi province and the headstream of Gan River in China. Luo Xiao, Nan Lin and Wuyi Mountains join here. It has a very special geological structure and favorable conditions for the formation of minerals. It is rich in non-ferrous metals, especially in tungsten. GanZhou is called "The Tungsten Capital of the World" for its high-grade tungsten resource.
GanZhou is the birthplace of tungsten in China. It has been 100 years since tungsten was discovered in Xihuashan mine in 1907 in Dayu. In these 100 years, Ganzhou made great efforts in the development of tungsten industry. So it has been playing an important role in China and even in the world tungsten industry.
Through the development of recent several decades, Gan Zhou has become a distributing centre of tungsten products in Jiangxi and even in China. In recent years, a number of tungsten enterprises have developed rapidly with GanZhou government's encouragement and support. Tungsten industry in Ganzhou has entered a new developing stage.
The year of 2007 is the centennial of tungsten industry in Ganzhou and in China. We will look back on the history and the development of the tungsten industry in the one hundred years, and strive for its higher level by innovation.
The Back-View
In 1932, China Tungsten Ore Company was founded in Yudu. Central bank president Mao Zemin was appointed as the general manager. The company supplied 7,890 tons of tungsten concentrate, which was the main source of the financial income of RMB 6.2 million. It contributed greatly to the social development at that time.
I. The discovery and early development of tungsten (1907-1949)
The German missionary Mr. Wilhelm discovered tungsten in 1907 in Mount Xihua of Ganzhou where is the first place that tungsten was discovered in China. It was from then on that China's history of extracting tungsten began. From 1907 to 1914, the annual output of tungsten ore was less than 20 tons, only accounting for about 0.24% of the world's output. In 1917, tungsten ore was discovered in Dayu, Chongyi, Quannan, Dingnan and Shangyou County. The local people started mining tungsten ore. By 1918, the output of Ganzhou's tungsten ore was more than 10,000 tons, taking up 60% of the whole world's output. Afterwards, tungsten ore was discovered in Yudu and Ganxian. The government then paid great attention to the abundant tungsten resources in Ganzhou. In 1929, the first official geology report on tungsten, Gannan Geology and Mineral Survey Report was composed in Ganzhou.
In later 1930s, the KMT government carried out the system of state -monopoly purchase and marketing of tungsten mines and set up a tungsten administrative office of resource committee in Ganzhou. A magnetic separator was imported from Germany to dress high-tin tungsten. To some degree, Tungsten mines in Ganzhou played an active role in enhancing the economic strength.
In 1940s, tungsten factories in Ganzhou started its mechanizing production. Some simple technologies were adopted in production.
As to the geology exploration, the geology institute successively compiled "Gannan Tungsten Mine Records", "The past and present of Jiangxi Tungsten Industry", "Deep Research of Gannan Tungsten Mine" and so on.
In this period, the output was 250,000 tons of concentrate, which were mainly produced by handwork.
II. The basic construction of tungsten industry in Ganzhou(1949 -1981)
Mining area
After the year of 1949, Chinese government put great importance on tungsten mine production in Ganzhou. The non-ferrous metal general administration of heavy industry ministry was set up in 1950, with Jiangxi sub-bureau and southern Jiangxi area administrative office in Ganzhou. Daji Mountain, Guimei Mountain, Pangu Mountain and many other mines became state-operated. In October, 1950, the first automated dressing plant (125T per day) was started to be built in Daji Mountain. In 1953, Daji, Xihua, Guimei mines and Shangyou hydraulic power station were listed in the 156 national projects in the first 5-year plan. In 1954, the government approved the expansion of Daji and Xihua and the design of Guimei, with respective processing ability of 1600T/day, 1785T/day, 1560T/day. In Daji mine, main production line was automated. In the same year in Dayu county, Hong Shui, Dang Ping ...mines were built. Since 1955, all mines started to use wet drill and fan ventilation to improve automation level and protect miners' health. In May 23, 1975, the national news paper "People's Daily" and Central Radio reported no silicosis had been found for 20 years.
By the end of 50s, the local government started to operate tungsten mines. Tungsten industry in Ganzhou was combined by local and state-operated mines.
There appeared many advanced collectives and individuals in this period.
During the 30 years, 570,000 tons of tungsten concentrate were supplied.
Exploration
The state also put emphasis on tungsten resource exploration. No.908 and 909 geologic exploration teams were established in 1952. There were 6 large tungsten deposits (Xihuashan, Dajishan, Pangushan, Tieshanlong, Piaotang, Huamei'ao), 17 middle deposits and 20 small deposits and other 200 smaller tungsten containing mines in Ganzhou.
Smelting, processing and related industries
In 1952, Dayu Tin Plant produced composed scheelite successfully by using sintering method.
In 1958, Ganzhou Concentration Plant was established and started its production. After 1963, tungstic acid, APT, W powder, WC powder and cemented carbide could be produced too.
Then "Umbrella" brand APT produced by Ganzhou 801 Factory was sold to Japan, US, UK and France. But the output of the tungsten products was still less than 2,000 tons.
Ganzhou tungsten industry stimulated the development of mining equipment, meltallurgical equipment. Starting with only one repair factory, at present Ganzhou has 10 machine factories including metallurgy machine factory and mining machine factory, plus 17 machine factories owned by mines. The metallurygy chemical factories, led by 803 Factory, produced over 14t of all types of explosives.
Education and Scientific Research
In Ganzhou, education and research institutes for non-ferrous industry were well developed. In 1958, metallurgical ministry established Jiangxi metallurgical college (now Jiangxi University of Science and Technology). Afterwards, the Geology Ministry established Jiangxi Geology College.
III. Development of tungsten industry in Ganzhou (1981-2000)
The 20 years, when the Chinese opening and reform went deeper, was also an important period for the development of tungsten industrial system and tungsten processing in Ganzhou.
In Nov. 1981, the first national science conference of tungsten industry was held in Xihuashan tungsten mine of Dayu County. Mr. Fang Yi, the vice-premier at that time, made an important speech and presented his inscription "making efforts to develop tungsten industry". Developing new applications and leading to the downstream products processing have been presented in this conference.
In 1984, Ganzhou Tungsten and Molybdenum Materials Factory was into production. By importing the technologies from Janpan, it developed tungsten powder, sintered bar, wire etc.. In the same year, some local tungsten metallurgy factories were set up and went into production.
During the middle and late 1980s, without control from the government, Ganzhou tungsten industry resulted in the situations of illegal exploration and mining, losing control of quality, smuggle and out-of-order competition.
At the beginning of 1990s, the price of tungsten was much less than the cost of mining. Ganzhou tungsten industry got into depression. Some newly-built tungsten smelting enterprises also met great trouble.
In the middle and late 1990s, as reformation going further, the private companies began their business in tungsten industry. Many companies and mines which were near to bankruptcy were merged and reorganized. Since then on, enterprises have been going better. In 2000, Ganzhou tungsten mines produced tungsten concentrate 22553 tons, and their sales value reached RMB 707 million and tax RMB 43.72 million.
The Present
I. Reformation and development
Since the second half of 2000, according to the policy and plans of reformation for the whole national tungsten industries, Ganzhou city government has carried out a comprehensive research and made a decision to merge and reorganize the industry and, distributed it as a policy to the local governments to enforce. Therefore, Ganzhou tungsten industry turned to the right way of conforming resources to develop the whole industry.
1. Control the mining order by prohibiting illegal exploitation activities
For many years, Ganzhou government took effective measures to clean up illegal mining activities by stopping the supply of power, water and relevant mining materials to some mines, driving out thousands of illegally mining workers from mines, canceling hundreds of illegal mining places, and closing dozens of mines which were over-mined, cross-border-mined, and danger-hidden. Status of many mines sharing the same license and renting mines were held back. Thus the tungsten industry has been kept in order.
After effectively straightening, the problems of disordered mining have been solved basically, the orders of mining turned better. Ganzhou government strictly executed the national policy and yearly plan for tungsten concentrate producing by adopting measures of managing tungsten quota, controlling the supply of detonator materials, approving the confidential of artificial person and controlling the output strictly.
2. Set up marketing system to make better use of resources:
According to the national laws and rules, Ganzhou government conformed to the resources and standardized the mining of tungsten by approving the confidential of mineral mining and exploring. In Aug. 2003, as an experiment, Dayu government auctioned 12 tungsten mining licenses in public and made great success. So far, all mining licenses of Ganzhou have been auctioned and atoned beneficially; mining workers were re-employed; the resources were cherished and utilized more efficiently; benefits of enterprises increased obviously. And a developing platform of well-knit basis has formed. Some tungsten metallurgy enterprises had their own mines, which ensured their further development with resources.
3. Strengthen management and enhance enterprises self-discipline
Following the Forum on Development Strategies for Chinese Tungsten Industry held in Oct. 2004, in Changsha, Hunan Province, a seminar on development strategies for tungsten industry in Ganzhou, China, was hosted by Ganzhou government. Representatives presented many practical and scientific proposals. From Jan. to May of 2005, the price of tungsten concentrate increased from RMB ??25,000 to RMB ??135,000 per ton and kept at a steady status. Since 2004, the price of tungsten concentrate has kept at around RMB ??100,000 per ton.
In Dec. 2005, Ganzhou Tungsten Industry Association was founded. It gives the same offer to the market and tries to keep the market in order. The tungsten industry has gotten a situation of cooperation, self-discipline.
In Sept. 2006, Mr. Liu Cong, the vice mayor of Ganzhou government, led the delegation from Ganzhou tungsten enterprises to attend the 19th annual meeting hosted by International Association of Tungsten Industry, held in Boston, USA. He gave a speech of " Ganzhou tungsten industry and its development", which introduced Ganzhou tungsten industry to the world.
4. Promote the reform of enterprises and develop tungsten industry
As state-owned enterprises reforming, China Minmetals Non-ferrous Metals Co. Ltd. cooperated with Jiangxi Rare Earth and Rare Metals Tungsten Group Corporation and set up a joint venture, Jiangxi Tungsten Group Co. Ltd. in 2002. As a comprehensive group company, most of its mines and smelting companies all have tungsten as their main business area and have a good reputation both in domestic and foreign markets.
Jiangxi Rare Earth and Rare Metals Tungsten Group Corp. has also established some other cooperated companies like Jiangxi TOSHIBA Electro Materials Co., Ltd., Jiangxi Xinsheng Tungsten Co., Ltd., Ganzhou Yuanchi New Materials Co., Ltd., Jiangxi Youtai Tungsten Co., Ltd., and so on. Old enterprises radiate great vitality.
Xiamen Tungsten Group Corp. invested and held shares of Ganzhou Tungsten and Molybdenum Materials Factory to form Ganzhou Hongfei Tungsten and Molybdenum Materials Co., Ltd. The new company has moved to the industrial zone and begins to develop and produce new products.
The private and shareholding enterprises prospect in Ganzhou, whose production occupied 80% of that in the whole tungsten metallurgy and processing industry. There are Chongyi Zhangyuan Tungsten Co., Ltd. whose business covers mining, dressing, metallurgy, down stream products processing, research and development, import and export; Ganzhou Tejing Tungsten and Molybdenum Company which cooperated with the stock listed company of Tianjin Tejing Material Co., Ltd.; Ganxian Shirui Mineral Co., Ltd. which cooperated with foreign companies to do mining in the other province and even abroad; Jiangxi Yaosheng Industry and Trade Co., Ltd. which based on the resources to extend the down stream products processing. These companies are vivid with much more potential of development and find their own position in Chinese tungsten industry as well as become the leading force of Ganzhou tungsten industry. As an outstanding representative, Mr. Huang Zelan, the president of Chongyi Zhangyuan Tungsten Co., Ltd., was elected as a national model.
5. Promote exploration mineral and get more resources
During these years, the exploration of minerals has been commercialized in Ganzhou. The government encourages enterprises to invest in it. Through minerals exploration carried out by geological survey department and companies, the deposit of tungsten in Ganzhou has been proved much bigger than ever before. In June of 2004, China Geological Survey Bureau held the Strategic Seminar on Gannan geological exploitaion Plan, and confirmed Ganzhou as the national strategic area of tungsten exploration. A new project of mineral exploration was launched and supported financially by the Ministry of Land and Resource. A geological research base and post-doctorial work station were set up here by Chinese Academy of Geological Science. They are studying the regulation of tungsten formation on the conditions of special structure. This is a good basis of talents and technologies for minerals exploration.
II. The Resource Situation
Nanling Mountain and Luoxiao Mountain join up in Ganzhou. The eastern part of Nanling metallogenitic belt is in Ganzhou, which is one of the most important tungsten metallogentic belts in China. This unique and complex geological structure makes Ganzhou a famous area of tungsten resources in the world, reserves106 mining areas and more than 30%of total reserves of China.
Tungsten reserves in Ganzhou are characterized by concentrated reserves, various kings of ore deposits, high quality ore, many associated minerals. From stratigraphical analysis the average tungsten content in stratum of Ganzhou is 9.53ppm, somewhere more than 12ppm. This is more than 7 times over the world average value of 1.3 ppm. Ore deposit forms include quartz-cassiterite vein, stratiform vein ,meta-sand rock etc. Among them quartz cassiterite vein with its deposit scale and reserve volume ,is the largest one in China or even in the world .As main kind of tungsten ore , wolfamite of high quality is with high grade and easy to dress. The recovery of dressing is generally more than 85%.The associated minerals of tungsten ore deposits: tin, molybdenum, bismuth, copper, lead, zinc, silver and beryllium, niobium, tantalum, rare earth, lithium, crystal, fluorite and so on ,could be all recovered and made use of.
Based on the regularity of tungsten ore formation and special geologic structure in Ganzhou, geologists have found the so called '5-layer structure 'and '7-layer structure 'model for the vein type tungsten deposits,especially for wolframite. This means that from surface to depth of earth stratum the vein gets larger and the vein type changes in order of 'mark belt made of super fine linear veins ?Cfine veins belt ?Cfine and thin veins mixed belt ?Cthin veins belt ?Clarge veins belt'. These models have played an important role in research and development of geological survey and mining. It is forecasted that in the next 5 years the tungsten reserves newly found in Ganzhou will be 2 times of the reserves today .Tungsten resources in Ganzhou are sure to have huge potential and bright future.
III Industry State
Tungsten Mining
Until the end of 2006, there are 53 Tungsten Mine Enterprises in Ganzhou. The yearly ore mining capacity is 6 million tons and ore processing capacity 5 million tons. Ganzhou has supplied about 1.2 million tons of tungsten concentrate since 1949, which is 49% of the total output in China. From 1980s, the recovery of tungsten mines has been improved a lot by importing new technologies. In 2006, the recovery value was about 1 billion RMB, which is 10% of the total value of Tungsten mine. Ecological environment in tungsten mines has been improved a lot by comprehensive treatment.
Ganzhou employs policies of mining tungsten strictly controlled by national mining quota. The output of tungsten concentrate has decreased 20% since 2000. Meanwhile, 2/3 of tungsten concentrate in China is processed in Ganzhou. 4,000 tons of tungsten raw material are supplied from abroad every year.
Tungsten Enterprises
There are 66 tungsten enterprises in Ganzhou, 19 of which are of good strength. The yearly capacity is 45,000 tons of APT, 25,000 tons of tungsten bars, 6,000 tons of W-Fe, 2 billion meters of Tungsten wire, and 3,000 tons of cemented carbide (including heavy alloy). In 2006, the shares of tungsten products in Ganzhou are Tungsten concentrate 30%, APT 65%, W-Fe 40%, W power 30%, tungsten bars 25%, tungsten wire 8% and cemented carbide 8%.
The technology of producing APT in Ganzhou is the most advanced in the world. Its technology of scheelite recovery and the mixed flotation dressing has been popularized. The technology called "Milling, ion-exchange, continuous-crystallization" has been employed in tungsten metallurgical process in Chongyi Zhangyuan Tungsten Co. Ltd. and in APT with particle size from 1 to 50 μm and various crystal shapes could be produced. Jiangxi Tungsten Alloy Company produces W-Fe of high quality by using low-level tungsten and waste tungsten imported from abroad.
The technology of producing coarse, medium, fine or superfine W/WC powder and nano size W/WC powder in Chongyi Zhangyuan, Dayu Weiliang, Ganzhou Yuan-chi etc. can catch up with the most advanced level in china. Series of products are sold to European, American and Asian markets.
1,000 tons of hard facing materials invested by Chongyi Zhangyuan and American Inframat Corporation and 1 million pieces of cemented carbide tools with its own properties invested by Chongyi Zhangyuan Tungsten Co., Ltd. are in construction. The project of 3,000 tons of cemented carbide invested by Zhongrui Company, and the project of 700 tons of tungsten rods invented by Jiangxi Yaoshen are all under construction.
Tungsten industry makes great progress in recent years. Sales value in 2006 is 11.03 billion RMB, which is 14.5 times more than that in 2000. Tax income is 1.62 billion RMB, which is 36.7 times more than that in 2000. The average growth rate of sales value is 158% and tax income 184%.
We will pay much attention to economizing resources, protecting environment and developing harmoniously. And we are taking measures in protecting environment and improving the level of utilizing resources and solving the problems due to exploring.
The Future
I. Development Goals
Keeping the scientific concept of development, the government of Ganzhou will develop tungsten industry by optimizing structures and innovation. Then in the coming 5 years, we strive for the objectives of the output value reaching 20 billion RMB per year and rapid, healthy and sustainable development.
II. Development Direction
Based on present technologies, we are striving for the output of tungsten products taking 1/3 portion or more of the total output in China. And we also will develop heavy alloy, W-Cu alloy, hard facing materials and tungsten special steel and its applications etc.
III. Development strategy
To form the main developing region of Ganzhou tungsten industry by putting Ganzhou City area as the developing center, Chongyi, Dayu, Ganxian as the main region. To expand industrial cluster by relying on the leading enterprises around several industry chains. Thus, Ganzhou will construct the tungsten industrial system featuring efficiency, resource-saving, environment-friendly, rational structure and international market competitiveness.
Conclusive Remarks
Based on the experience of development in tungsten industry over the past 100 years, Ganzhou government will make more efforts on reform and innovation by keeping scientific development. A number of tungsten enterprises will be encouraged to develop downstream processing by using advanced technologies, management concept and talents, so as to make Ganzhou and important tungsten industrial area in China.