Defining Tungsten Carbide

When equal parts of carbon materials and the element tungsten are combined, the result is a material known as tungsten carbide. This material contains stiffness properties that are three times greater than stainless steel, which has caused it to become a favorite choice for constructing surgical instruments, jewelry, ammunition, and a variety of tools and accessories used in the mining and machining industries. Mining tips, end mills, drill bits, inserts, and other accessories that are created from this incredible alloy outperform those crafted from other materials because of their hardness and heat resistance.

Another perk that comes along with using tungsten carbide is the fact that it is completely recyclable. However, if the green incentives are not enough to motivate your company to see the value in going through the recycling process, then you should also know that tungsten carbide is one of the few materials that you can actually be paid for to recycle. In fact, the value of carbide scrap can be anywhere from $7 to $11 for each pound recycled which helps to offset your business costs. Since solid and grafted carbide as well as carbide sludge can all be recycled, there is a way for your business to take advantage of the incentive regardless of what field it operates in.

Identifying the Carbide in Your Operation

If you are in the business of manufacturing carbide materials, then it is easy to identify the scraps that are left over as well as the sludge created during production. However, things may not be as clear if you run an operation where you find yourself purchasing some products made of carbide for your machining or mining efforts in addition to those made of other materials. Fortunately, there are a few easy ways to tell tungsten carbide apart from other metals such as stainless steel. For instance:

• Carbide accessories are heavier than similar pieces made of other materials and will feel unusually weighty for their size.
• While steel has powerful magnetic properties, carbide is hardly magnetic at all.
• Unlike other metals, tungsten carbide is impervious to both pitting and rust.

The Recycling Process

Once you have identified all sources of viable carbide scrap within your operation, you will need to develop a relationship with a third party recycler like Carbide- USA. This way, you can send the material where it needs to wind up in order to be given a new life. After obtaining a price quote, you can send away your scrap using freight shipping for large amounts, or flat rate boxes via the United States Postal Service for smaller quantities.

After Carbide- USA receives your scrap, they will inspect and weigh it. Once your materials have been confirmed to be authentic, you will be issued compensation based on your quote. While this marks the end of your hand in the recycling process, it is just the beginning for what will happen to the carbide itself.

Once the carbide has been received by the recycling facility, they will either re-forge it into any number of useful items, or pulverize it into powder that can be sold to other manufacturers in bulk for production purposes. Tungsten carbide never loses its strength when it is recycled, which means that there is no risk to you for purchasing your carbide items from recycled sources. Most importantly, you can help your company’s financial situation as well as the environment by becoming part of the cycle.