Recently, the Hindustan Zinc Ltd (HZL) has received the licence to explore and mine a tungsten block in Andhra Pradesh.
About Tungsten
- Tungsten is a chemical element with the symbol W (from the German name Wolfram) and atomic number 74.
- It is a dense, steel-grey transition metal found naturally on Earth primarily in compound forms such as the minerals wolframite and scheelite.
- Tungsten was identified as a distinct element in 1781 and first isolated as a metal in 1783.
Key properties of tungsten include:
- It has the highest melting point of all metals, at about 3410 °C.
- It has the lowest vapor pressure among metals at its melting point.
- It possesses the highest tensile strength at temperatures over 1650 °C.
- Tungsten is exceptionally dense (19.3 g/cm³), comparable to gold and uranium.
- It is hard, brittle in raw form but can be malleable and worked after purification.
- It exhibits excellent corrosion resistance, attacked only slightly by most acids.
- Tungsten's notable uses arise from its high melting point, hardness, resistance to wear, and ability to conduct electricity.
Common applications include:
- Filaments for electric light bulbs and electron tubes.
- X-ray targets and high-temperature furnace components.
- Tungsten carbide, an exceptionally hard compound used in metalworking, mining, and petroleum industries for cutting tools and abrasives.
- Alloying metal to strengthen steels.
- Ballast weights in aircraft and motorsports.
- Welding electrodes.
Tungsten also finds uses in catalysts, ceramic pigments, fire retardant coatings, and color-resistant dyes for fabrics. Despite being useful biologically in some bacteria, it is generally toxic to most animals.
Overall, tungsten's unique combination of extreme hardness, high melting point, density, and electrical conductivity makes it valuable in industrial, scientific, and military applications.
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