More about Tungsten

Click here to find Tungsten Manufacturers | Discuss Tungsten & Other Topics

Versatile and durable, tungsten is one of the most widely used metals in industry. It is as an alloy, however, not in its pure form, that it finds the most use. In fact, one of its most important alloys, tungsten carbide, plays an integral role in many metalworking, construction and drilling operations. Tungsten alloys also serve as a major component in lighting and tube filaments due to their high melting point. This attribute, coupled with its high density, also make it a useful element in military applications.

Although its metal form is a lustrous silver-white, tungsten is typically obtained as a dull gray powder. Among its incredible traits are its low vapor pressure and high tensile strength, which rank the best of all metals at temperatures above 1650 degrees Celsius. These features are surpassed only by its exceptional corrosion resistance, as it is subject to corrosion only by mineral acids, and its previously mentioned high melting point. Due to its exceptional qualities, it finds a wide range of uses. These applications include electrodes, nuclear and aerospace components, electrical contacts and furnace housing. It can be used in alloy forms as an alternative to depleted uranium, as well as in other high-density applications, including use as a heat sink or counterweight. Obvious tool and fixture uses abound, whether as tungsten based rivets, bolts, screws or lugs. It also finds use as an ingredient in paints, and as an important tanning salt.

Tungsten is a transition metal with the atomic number 74. In its naturally occurring form, it is typically found in wolframite (iron-manganese tungstenate), scheelite (calcium tungstenate), ferberite and huebnerite. China is the world’s major producer of tungsten, although it is also found in substantial quantities in the United States (California and Colorado), Russia, Bolivia and Portugal. Perhaps one of its most interesting recent uses is in superalloys, which are metallic substances intended for use at extreme temperatures. These materials find many uses in the aerospace, nuclear and aircraft industries. Their continuing development has lead to many advances in these respective fields.