Commodity
Tungsten
Tungsten is a grayish-white, steel-like metal with the highest melting point of all elements and the lowest vapor pressure of all metals. It is found naturally on Earth almost entirely as compounds with sulfur, oxygen, or carbon. The primary mining areas of tungsten are China, Russia, Canada, and Brazil. The primary use of tungsten is in the production of hard materials. Around 60% of tungsten is used to produce tung...
Tungsten is a grayish-white, steel-like metal with the highest melting point of all elements and the lowest vapor pressure of all metals. It is found naturally on Earth almost entirely as compounds with sulfur, oxygen, or carbon. The primary mining areas of tungsten are China, Russia, Canada, and Brazil.
The primary use of tungsten is in the production of hard materials. Around 60% of tungsten is used to produce tungsten carbide, a very hard metal used for industrial machinery such as drilling, cutting, and mining tools. Roughly 20% is used for electrodes in welding, while 14% is used in chemicals, light bulb filaments, and other minor uses.
Tungsten doesn't occur in its native form in nature, so it must be extracted from its ores. The most common tungsten-containing ore is wolframite, with scheelite being another significant source. To extract tungsten from these ores, they are first crushed and then treated with a compound, usually sodium hydroxide or sodium carbonate, to create a chemical reaction that converts tungsten into a compound called sodium tungstate. This compound is then purified through various methods, such as precipitation, filtration, and calcination. Finally, the purified tungsten is reduced to a metal through a process called smelting, where it is heated in the presence of carbon or another reducing agent, producing pure tungsten.
Production
Mined Tungsten
Tungsten is a rare, hard metal primarily used in the production of industrial products, wear-resistant materials, and armor-piercing ammunition due to its hardness, density, and high melting point.
Tungsten is a rare, hard metal primarily used in the production of industrial products, wear-resistant materials, and armor-piercing ammunition due to its hardness, density, and high melting point.
Trade
Tungsten Alloys
Ferro-tungsten alloys are specialized metal mixtures combining iron with tungsten that enhance the strength and heat resistance of steel and other alloys.
Ferro-tungsten alloys are specialized metal mixtures combining iron with tungsten that enhance the strength and heat resistance of steel and other alloys.
Trade
Wolframates
Tungstates are compounds made of tungsten and oxygen that can be found in various forms with added cations like sodium or calcium, often used in applications such as catalysts, fireproofing materials, and manufacturing c...
Tungstates are compounds made of tungsten and oxygen that can be found in various forms with added cations like sodium or calcium, often used in applications such as catalysts, fireproofing materials, and manufacturing certain types of glass and ceramics.
Trade
Tungsten Articles
Tungsten is a specialized mineral commodity with unique properties used in high-performance applications across various industries.
Tungsten is a specialized mineral commodity with unique properties used in high-performance applications across various industries.
Trade
Tungsten Scrap
Tungsten is a versatile mineral commodity used in various products, including cutting tools and aerospace components, with recyclable waste and scrap generated during manufacturing processes.
Tungsten is a versatile mineral commodity used in various products, including cutting tools and aerospace components, with recyclable waste and scrap generated during manufacturing processes.
Trade
Tungsten Ore
Tungsten is a hard, heat-resistant metal produced from refined tungsten ore concentrates through various processing steps.
Tungsten is a hard, heat-resistant metal produced from refined tungsten ore concentrates through various processing steps.