A major shift is underway in South Korea’s critical-minerals industry as Almonty Korea Tungsten Corp. (AKTC) prepares to ship its first saleable tungsten concentrate from the historic Sangdong Mine in Yeongwol, Gangwon Province.
The company has produced its first bulk bag containing 1 ton of tungsten concentrate, marking a major step from mine development and testing into commercial operations. The material is now ready for shipment after South Korean authorities completed inspections of the mine’s processing plant and crushing facilities.
The Korea Mine Rehabilitation and Mineral Resources Corp., a state-run organization under the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resources, inspected the facilities on Sept. 14 and issued the required mining facility inspection certificates on Sept. 17.
That certification gives AKTC the regulatory clearance to process tungsten ore from Sangdong into saleable concentrate and supply customers both inside South Korea and overseas.
From Abandoned Mine to Global Tungsten Supplier
The development marks a remarkable new chapter for Sangdong, which was once one of the world’s major tungsten-producing mines before operations were suspended in the early 1990s.
Almonty acquired the project in 2015 and invested heavily in rebuilding the operation. Engineering work on the processing facilities began in 2020, construction started in 2021, and major grinding equipment was installed in 2024.
Processing operations began earlier this year, with ore being fed through the newly commissioned plant during June as the company worked toward stable production.
Now, the latest certification means the mine has moved beyond construction, testing and commissioning and into the commercial-production stage.
Why Tungsten Matters
Tungsten is a critical industrial material used across a wide range of applications, including advanced manufacturing, electronics, cutting tools and other high-performance products.
For South Korea, the Sangdong project could also help diversify access to tungsten feedstock for industries that have historically depended heavily on imports.
Earlier Korea Times reporting noted that the mine is being developed as part of efforts to establish a more diversified, non-Chinese tungsten supply chain, including potential applications connected to Korea’s semiconductor industry.
The project is also strategically significant because China remains the dominant producer in the global tungsten market. Almonty has positioned Sangdong as an alternative source for customers seeking supply outside China.
Production Is Only Beginning
The first 1-ton batch represents an important milestone, but Almonty is not treating it as the final destination.
The company plans to gradually increase production as the processing system stabilizes, eventually supplying both Korean customers and international markets.
Phase 1 of the operation is designed to process approximately 640,000 tons of ore annually and produce about 2,300 tons of tungsten concentrate per year. A planned Phase 2 expansion is expected to increase processing capacity to approximately 1.2 million tons of ore annually and raise annual tungsten concentrate production to roughly 4,600 tons.
Almonty has also said that more than 90 percent of Phase 1 production is covered by a long-term offtake agreement, providing an established customer base as the mine ramps up.
A New Chapter for South Korea’s Tungsten Industry
The Sangdong Mine’s return comes more than three decades after its previous era of production ended.
For Almonty, the immediate challenge is now execution: stabilizing processing, increasing output and turning the newly certified facilities into a reliable commercial supply source.
For South Korea, the project represents something broader — the return of domestic tungsten production at a time when manufacturers are paying greater attention to the resilience and geographic diversity of critical-mineral supply chains.
The first shipment may only be the beginning.
If Almonty can successfully scale Sangdong toward its planned production levels, South Korea could become an increasingly important source of tungsten for markets looking beyond China’s dominant supply position.
WWC ONE MEDIA G,A
