Metal Mining

 

 

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Chromite Gold Iron Lead
Manganese Nickel Silver Tin
Titanium Tungsten Zinc  



Tungsten

Tungsten, formely Wolfram, is a very hard, heavy gray-white transition metal, found in several ores including wolframite ((Fe,Mn)WO4, iron-manganese tungstate) and scheelite (CaWO4, calcium tungstate).
Remarkable for its robust physical properties, the pure form of this metallic element is used mainly in electrical applications.

Mixed with other metals, tungsten can make "supperalloys” used in tubine engines for jet aircraft and energy generation or in space-age superalloys. Mixed with carbon, "tungsten carbide” is used to make cutting tools and wear-resistant tool for metalworking, drilling for oil and gas, mining and construction.
Tungsten is also used in light bulb filaments because it has a very high melting point, a low vapor pressure and a resistance in high temperatures situations.


Links:
-U.S. Geological Survey, Mineral Commodity Summaries - Statistics 2001 - 2003
-ITIA: The International Tungsten Industry Association
,
-Wolfram Bergbau- und Hütten-GmbH




Tungsten Production
Thousand tonnes

 
2004
2005
2006
2007
2008
Europe
Austria
1.335
1.280
1.153
1.117
1.122
Portugal
746
816
780
846
900
Russia (Europe)
420
435
435
480
480
total
2.501
2.531
2.368
2.443
2.502
         
Africa        
Rwanda
90
318
820
1.534
1.354
Uganda
27
45
95
75
70
total
117
363
915
1.609
1.424
         
Asia        
China
59.900
51.200
45.000
41.000
43.500
DPR Korea
600
600
600
600
600
Kazakhstan
120
110
50
100
100
Mongolia
53
53
126
159
97
Myanmar
107
168
197
183
180
Russia (Asia)
2.380
2.465
2.465
2.720
2.720
Thailand
337
622
546
823
582
Uzbekistan
300
300
300
300
300
total
63.797
55.518
49.284
45.885
48.079
         
America        
Bolivia
508
669
1.094
1.395
1.150
Brazil
262
458
525
537
550
Canada
0
700
2.561
2.700
2.608
total
770
1.827
4.180
4.632
4.308
 
Oceania
Australia 12 7 15 30 11
total 12 7 15 30 30
       
WORLD TOTAL 67.197 60.246 56.762 54.599 56.324