Tungsten is an elemental metal with the chemical symbol W. It is found in several compounds and is mined in underground and open pit mines all over the world. China is the top ore producer, with over half of the world’s supply. The primary types of tungsten ores and concentrates are wolframite and scheelite. Ore…

Canadian markets are important to Western New York. Buffalo is located on the border between the countries. Our close ties make it hardly seem like an international market at times. We often refer to Canadians as our neighbors to the North. Canadian license plates are more common than those from nearby states on our roads.…

Visitors who come to our factory who have been exposed to many different manufacturing facilities often comment on how clean it is. Insurance auditors, bankers, consultants and customers alike take notice. It has become a source of pride for our company. It takes effort from everyone to maintain a clean factory environment. Tungsten is Dirty…

Although tungsten is a strategic mineral, it is also a minor metal. The demand for tungsten is low relative to base metals like nickel, zinc or lead. As a result, commodity exchanges do not trade tungsten ores and concentrates. Trading occurs on a negotiated basis between the parties involved. Tungsten Ore Tungsten ore is mainly…

Praxair installed a new liquid hydrogen tank at Buffalo Tungsten to replace one that was 30 years old this week. They are a first class supplier and have done an excellent job of maintaining our hydrogen supply for the past three decades. They brought a trailer based hydrogen sled to supply our needs during the…

According to the US Geological Survey tungsten is a strategic mineral that is “essential to the economic and national security of the United States.” The text of the report can be found here. Forbes magazine’s story on the topic found here might be easier to read. Essential Industries Many industries use tungsten as a critical…

Tungsten hexafluoride (WF6) has one of the highest densities of any gas. To produce tungsten hexafluoride gas, pure tungsten metal powder (W) reacts with fluorine gas (F2) between 650F (343C) and 750F (399C). These elements combine to create a gas that has a density of 12.9 g/l. The air we breathe has a density of…

Material Properties of Tungsten Tungsten metal powder is used to make ordnance for the military. Tungsten has a high density (19.25g/cm3) and high hardness. The melting point of tungsten is also very high at 3,422°C (6,191°F), making it a good choice for high temperatures as well. The BBC’s article titled “Tungsten: The perfect metal for…

Competitive Advantages Sporting goods products use tungsten because it has a very high density. With a density of 19.3 g/cc, tungsten products are a great choice for many athletes and outdoorsmen. Those who compete at the highest levels of sport need any edge they can get. Tungsten is able to provide that edge in many…

What is Tungsten Carbide? The carburization of pure tungsten powder creates the alloy tungsten carbide. The International Tungsten Industry Association provides an outline of the conventional carburization process that produces it. WC is the chemical formula for the resulting powder, so it is also referred to as WC powder. Tungsten carbide is a very hard material.…