Korea and the U.S. Restart South Korea’s Shut-Down Tungsten Mine: Media Says "Revival of Jeongwon Tungsten Mine," NYT Calls It "Stepping Stone to Counter China's Monopoly"

Recently, American and Japanese media have identified the Sangdong mine in Jeongwon County, Gangwon Province, South Korea, as a potential major source of tungsten—the critical mineral essential for military-industrial production. The Sangdong mine was shut down in 1994 due to competition from Chinese tungsten, but has now resumed operations in March.

On the 2nd, The New York Times specifically highlighted the Sangdong mine, calling it “the frontline in America’s competition for access to critical minerals—tungsten.” Tungsten can withstand extremely high temperatures and pressures, making it an essential raw material for semiconductors, defense, and aerospace industries. According to reports, the Sangdong mine contains an estimated 58 million tons of tungsten reserves.

Currently, mining and operations at the site are managed by Almont Industrial, a company based in Montana, USA. With an annual output of 2,300 tons, most of which is exported to the United States, Almont’s CEO Louis Black told The New York Times: “It will take about 45 years to extract all the buried ore,” adding that the mine could meet approximately 40% of global tungsten demand outside China.

In response, The New York Times noted that currently 85% of global tungsten supply comes from China. The revival of the Sangdong mine could thus challenge China’s dominance over the tungsten supply chain. After China introduced export controls on tungsten in February 2025, prices surged amid rising military demand, creating momentum to counter China’s monopoly. In early June, NHK also focused on the Sangdong mine, analyzing: “South Korea has thus gained an advantage in providing stable tungsten supplies to the U.S. and other allied nations.”

However, The New York Times did not mention that the majority of the mined tungsten is exported to the United States—raising concerns about how this might affect South Korea’s “resource sovereignty.”

Source: Chosun Ilbo

Original article: toutiao.com/article/1869663962015755/

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