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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

 
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004
Europe
Austria
2.015
2.082
2.329
2.242
2.250
2.240
Portugal
549
743
435
693
715
746
Russia (Europe)
525
555
585
600
675
720
total
3.089
3.380
3.349
3.535
3.640
3.706
 
Africa
Rwanda
70
68
212
57
120
Uganda
40
45
48
50
12
total
110
113
260
107
132
 
Asia
China
32.000
44.000
56.000
65.000
57.000
67.000
Korea
350
330
300
450
500
600
Kazakhstan
180
160
150
140
130
120
Mongolia
0
63
0
12
53
Myanmar
2
1
1
1
2
Russia (Asia)
2.975
3.145
3.315
3.400
3.825
4.080
Uzbekistan
200
190
180
170
150
130
total
35.705
47.827
60.009
69.161
61.618
71.985
 
America
Bolivia
421
481
500
550
556
508
Brazil
0
55
70
75
309
Canada
0
0
0
3.654
0
total
421
481
555
620
4.285
817
           
WORLD TOTAL
38.636
52.389
64.694
74.456
74.042
77.589


Source: Österreichisches Bundesministerium für Wirtschaft und Arbeit (Federal Ministry for Economics and Labour of the Republic of Austria), World Mining Data, April 2006