What it is: some buyers send suppliers a sourcing questionnaire about the minerals in their products, tungsten included. Short answer: treat it as a records exercise. Answer what you know, say “unknown” where you do not, and keep the proof. I describe the typical shape of these requests, not any specific law or form, so confirm what applies to you with your customer and your own adviser.
What these requests tend to contain
| Typical question | What a good answer looks like |
|---|---|
| Does the product contain tungsten? | A plain yes or no for each product family |
| Who is your direct supplier of tungsten material? | Company name and country, if you know it |
| Do you know the processing facilities upstream? | A list, or “not known to us”, never a guess |
| Do you have a sourcing policy? | A short written policy and who owns it |
| Can you provide documents? | Certificates or statements you actually hold |
| How do you handle changes? | A named contact and a notice process |
How a buyer or distributor can prepare
Preparation here is paperwork discipline rather than research.
- Ask your own supplier the same questions early, in writing, with a date for a reply.
- File each reply with the supplier name, date and the product it covers.
- Write a one-page sourcing statement that says what you know, what you do not, and who is asking.
- Keep a list of customers who asked, and what you answered, so replies stay consistent.
Answers to avoid
The wrong answers here are worse than no answer, because they are quotable.
- “Conflict-free” or “non-China” statements you cannot document. An undocumented assurance becomes the customer’s evidence against you.
- Copying a competitor’s wording. Their supply chain is not yours, and the wording implies it is.
- Filling a blank field to seem helpful. A guessed origin or smelter is a false statement.
A simple record to keep
For each customer request, note the date received, the person who asked, the products covered, what you answered, who approved the answer and which documents back it up. Review the file each year and whenever your supplier list changes. A tidy record lets a new employee answer the next request without starting over, and it makes it obvious when an answer has gone out of date.
When to involve an adviser
If a customer cites a law, a reporting standard or a contract clause, ask them to name it, and have a qualified adviser read it. Requirements differ by company type, country and product, and they change.
Boundary: I did not verify any specific regulation or reporting template, so none is described. This is not legal or compliance advice; confirm requirements for your company with an adviser.
Further reading on this site.
Lot Traceability for Wear Parts: What Good Looks Like ↗Tungsten Carbide Wear Parts for Mining and Crushing ↗Tungsten carbide inserts for snow plow edges ↗The Forced-Labor Section 301 Duty: Who Pays, Which Goods, Which Dates ↗Who Mines Tungsten? Reading the USGS 2026 Summary for Procurement Risk ↗What Is an MTU? Reading APT Price Quotes Without Getting Lost ↗
