Tungsten stands as one of the most remarkable elements in the periodic table, possessing the highest melting point of all metals at 3,422°C and extraordinary hardness that has made it indispensable in modern technology. From its frustrating early encounters with medieval tin miners who cursed the “wolf” that devoured their ore, to its current status as a strategic material critical to defense, manufacturing, and emerging technologies, tungsten’s journey spans centuries of scientific discovery and industrial innovation. This extraordinary metal, formed only in the violent explosions of dying stars, has transformed from a mineralogical curiosity into a cornerstone of contemporary civilization, shaping everything from the humble light bulb to advanced military systems and cutting-edge electronics.

Be sure to check out all other critical raw materials (CRMs), as well.

A History Of Tungsten

The history of tungsten encompasses over four centuries of human interaction with this exceptional metal, beginning with its interference in medieval tin mining operations and culminating in its current role as a critical strategic material dominated by Chinese production while nations scramble to secure alternative sources for defense and technology applications.

Chronology

• 17th century: Miners in the Erzgebirge Mountains of Saxony, Germany, noticed tungsten ore (later identified as wolframite) that interfered with cassiterite reduction and produced slag, giving it German nicknames “wolfert” and “wolfrahm” [1]
• 1750: Tungsten ore scheelite discovered in an iron mine in Sweden, garnering interest for its incredible density and named “heavy stone” [2]
• 1758: Swedish chemist and mineralogist Axel Fredrik Cronstedt discovered a tungsten-bearing mineral called “tungsten” (meaning “heavy stone” in Swedish), convinced it contained an undiscovered element [1]
• 1781: Swedish chemist Carl Wilhelm Scheele discovered scheelite (tungsten ore) and extracted tungstic acid from it, believing tungsten metal could be extracted by reducing tungstic acid; Torbern Bergman suggested preparing tungsten metal by charcoal reduction [1, 2, 3]
• 1783: Spanish brothers Juan José and Fausto Elhuyar extracted tungstic acid from wolframite (tungsten ore), then obtained tungsten powder for the first time by reduction with charcoal at the Royal Basque Society in Bergara, Spain, naming the element “wolfram” or “volfram” [1, 2, 3, 4]
• 1821: C.C. Leonhard named tungsten mineral scheelite in recognition of Carl Wilhelm Scheele’s discovery of tungstic acid [5]
• 1841: Chemist Robert Dickinson Oxland obtained British patent for production of sodium tungstate, tungstic acid and metal tungsten, opening the path for industrial production of tungsten [1]
• 1847: Tungsten salts used to make colored cotton and make theatrical clothes fireproof [2]
• 1855: First tungsten steels made in Austria using Bessemer process [2]
• 1858: First tungsten-containing steels patented; chemists noticed adding tungsten to steel impacted steel properties [1, 2, 3]
• 1868: Robert Forester Mushet developed first self-hardening steels containing 7% tungsten, 2.5% manganese, and 2% carbon [3, 6, 7]
• 1893: Frederick W. Taylor began experimenting with tungsten-containing steels at Bethlehem Steel Company [7, 8]
• 1895: Thomas Edison found calcium tungstate most effective material for X-ray fluorescence [2]
• 1896: Henri Moissan accidentally synthesized tungsten carbide while attempting to produce artificial diamond by heating tungsten oxide with sugar [9]
• 1897: Alexander Lodygin received US patent 575,002 for tungsten filament made by chemical treatment and heat-vaporization onto heated wire [10]
• 1898: Taylor and White developed improved tungsten steel containing 8% tungsten through experiments [7, 8]
• 1900: Tungsten high-speed steel with 20% tungsten content exhibited at Paris World Exhibition, revolutionizing metal cutting; Russian inventor А.Н.Ладыгин proposed tungsten for lighting bulbs [1, 2, 3]
• 1901: Taylor and White received US patent on February 19 for tungsten-containing “Metal-Cutting Tool and Method of Making Same” for high-speed steel; Panasqueira tungsten mine in Portugal began operations [7, 8, 12]
• 1904: Several European inventors simultaneously developed tungsten filament lamps; Hungarian company Tungsram first marketed tungsten filament lamps; Alexander Just and Franjo Hanaman patented tungsten filament lamp on December 13; Kuzel developed colloidal method for tungsten filament production [10, 13, 14, 15]
• 1906: General Electric patented method for making tungsten filaments; Just and Hanaman patented process for producing tungsten filaments by mixing tungsten powder with organic binder; amalgam process for tungsten filaments developed in America; extrusion process for tungsten filaments developed [13, 15]
• 1907: Tungsten discovered in Xihuashan mine in Dayu, Ganzhou, marking birthplace of tungsten mining in China [16]
• 1908: John Allen Heany emerged with tungsten light bulb claiming it based on 1904 patent for tungsten filament [17]
• 1909: William D. Coolidge perfected process for ductile tungsten via powder metallurgy, allowing production of tungsten wire for lamp filaments [2, 3, 18]
• 1910: General Electric began marketing Coolidge’s Mazda lamp with ductile tungsten filament; T1 tungsten high-speed steel formally classified and introduced by Crucible Steel Co. [6, 18]
• 1911: General Electric marketed improved tungsten filament light bulbs developed by Coolidge using ductile tungsten [10, 18, 19]
• 1912: British authorities freed Carrock tungsten mine from German-owned Cumbrian Mining Company to secure tungsten supplies; Coolidge described use of tungsten as improved anode target material for X-ray tubes [3, 19]
• 1913: Irving Langmuir found filling tungsten lamp with inert gas doubled luminous efficacy; Coolidge invented hot cathode X-ray tube using tungsten filament cathode and tungsten anode, revolutionizing radiology; Hugo Lohmann patented tungsten carbide application for drilling tools [9, 10, 18, 19, 20]
• 1914: World War I demonstrated strategic importance of tungsten, with Germany using tungsten from British Cornish mines for ammunition production [2]
• 1916: Coolidge received US patent 1,203,495 for tungsten X-ray tube on October 31 [18, 19]
• 1917: Burnie Lee Benbow granted patent for coiled coil tungsten filament [10]
• 1921: Junichi Miura created first double-coil bulb using coiled coil tungsten filament [10]
• 1923: German Osram Study Group filed patent for tungsten carbide-cobalt cemented carbide, birth of hardmetal [2, 3]
• 1925: Schroulter obtained US patent for tungsten carbide cobalt carbide invention [1]
• 1926: Industrial production of tungsten carbide using Schroulter’s patented method began in Europe; Krupp began marketing tungsten carbide cemented carbide as WIDIA [1, 3]
• 1927: Friedrich Krupp AG first marketed tungsten carbide tool material under brand WIDIA (meaning “like diamond”); tungsten carbide-based cemented carbides with tungsten carbide as main component developed [1, 3, 21]
• 1930s: Tungsten compounds found new applications in oil industry for hydrotreating crude oils [2]
• 1940: Development of tungsten-containing superalloys began for jet engines; Watertown Arsenal developed tungsten-molybdenum high-speed steel to reduce reliance on pure tungsten [2, 7]
• 1940s: Tungsten factories in Ganzhou, China started mechanizing tungsten production [16]
• 1942: Germans first used tungsten carbide core in high velocity armor-piercing projectiles during World War II [2]
• 1943: US delivered memorandum to Spain on November 18 demanding end to tungsten exports to Germany during Wolfram Crisis; tungsten exports accounted for nearly 1% of Spanish GDP and 20% of exports [22]
• 1944: Hemerdon tungsten mine in Devon ceased operations [23]
• 1950: China established non-ferrous metal general administration with Jiangxi sub-bureau in Ganzhou for tungsten mining [16]
• 1963: Remscheid awarded Coolidge the Röntgen Medal for invention of tungsten hot cathode X-ray tube [18]
• 1969: Titanium carbide coating developed for tungsten carbide hardmetal tools [3]
• 1970: Titanium nitride coating developed for tungsten carbide hardmetal tools [3]
• 1974: Aluminum oxide coating developed for tungsten carbide hardmetal tools [3]
• 1975: William D. Coolidge, developer of ductile tungsten, elected to National Inventors Hall of Fame shortly before death at age 101 [18]
• 1980s: Diamond coatings developed for tungsten carbide hardmetal tools; high velocity oxygen fuel and high energy plasma methods developed for tungsten carbide applications; Hemerdon tungsten mine briefly operated trial mine [3, 21, 23]
• 1986: Collapse of International Tin Council impacted tungsten mining operations in Cornwall and Devon which produced both tin and tungsten [23]
• 1998: South Crofty tungsten and tin mine in Cornwall closed after over 400 years of operation [23, 24]
• 2002: Jiangxi Tungsten Group Co. Ltd. formed as joint venture between Jiangxi Rare Earth and Rare Metals Tungsten Group and China Minmetals [16]
• 2003: Jiangxi Tungsten Group Ltd became largest tungsten group in China [25]
• 2004: Primary Metals began managing Panasqueira tungsten mine through 2007 [12]
• 2007: Sojitz Corporation acquired Panasqueira tungsten mine from Primary Metals [12]
• 2015: US ceased commercial tungsten mining; Hemerdon tungsten mine reopened as Drakelands Mine; Almonty completed acquisition giving mining rights to Sangdong tungsten mine in South Korea [12, 23, 26]
• 2016: Almonty Industries acquired Panasqueira tungsten mine from Sojitz Corporation; Cornish Metals bought South Crofty tungsten mine out of administration; China produced over 80% of global tungsten [1, 12, 24]
• 2018: Tungsten West acquired Hemerdon tungsten mine; Drakelands tungsten mine ceased activities [23, 27]
• 2020: China’s tungsten mining quota continued decline since peak [28]
• 2021: Almonty obtained $75.1 million project financing from KfW IPEX-Bank for Sangdong tungsten mine [26]
• 2022: China increased export tax on tungsten concentrates from 15% to 20% [29]
• 2023: China produced approximately 63,000 tonnes of tungsten, down 4.55% from 2022 [28]
• 2024: China announced first batch tungsten ore mining quota of 62,000 tonnes, down from 2023; environmental inspections in Jiangxi and Hunan tungsten mining provinces disrupted production; Chinese tungsten prices reached ten-year high; US Defense Department banned contractors from buying China-mined tungsten effective January 1, 2027; China announced export controls on tungsten effective December 1 [28, 29, 26]
• 2025: Sangdong tungsten mine in South Korea expected to begin production; China announced strict export controls on tungsten and four other key metals in retaliation to Trump’s 10% tariffs on Chinese imports [26, 29]

Final Thoughts

As tungsten enters a new era of geopolitical tension and technological advancement, its story reflects humanity’s evolving relationship with Earth’s resources and the complex interplay between scientific discovery, industrial innovation, and strategic necessity. While China’s decades-long dominance of tungsten production faces challenges from environmental regulations, declining ore grades, and international efforts to diversify supply chains, the metal’s unique properties ensure its continued importance in defense, renewable energy, electronics, and emerging technologies like nuclear fusion. 

Thanks for reading!

References

[1] Discovery and development of tungsten | History of Tungsten – SAM Sputter Targets – http://www.sputtertargets.net/blog/discovery-and-development-of-tungsten-history/

[2] The history of tungsten, the strongest natural metal on earth – MINING.COM – https://www.mining.com/web/history-tungsten-strongest-natural-metal-earth/

[3] History of tungsten | International Tungsten Industry Association – https://www.itia.info/history-of-tungsten/

[4] Tungsten | Uses, Properties, & Facts | Britannica – https://www.britannica.com/science/tungsten-chemical-element

[5] Tungsten Detailed History | Midwest Tungsten – https://www.tungsten.com/blog/tungsten-detailed-history

[6] High-speed steel – Wikipedia – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High-speed_steel

[7] The Traditional Tools Group (Inc.) — Document View – https://www.tttg.org.au/php/DocView.php?DocId=71

[8] Tool Steels: A Brief History — Part 2 Introduction to high speed steel | The Traditional Tools Group Inc. – https://tttg.org.au/articles/Tool_Steels_Brief_History_2

[9] Tungsten carbide | Magnificent molecules | RSC Education – https://edu.rsc.org/magnificent-molecules/tungsten-carbide/3008556.article

[10] Incandescent light bulb – Wikipedia – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Incandescent_light_bulb

[11] Panasqueira – Wikipedia – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Panasqueira

[12] Pacific Lamp & Supply Company – https://pacificlamp.com/history-of-the-light-bulb.php

[13] Tungsram’s Century-old Leadership Insight – The Tungsten Lamp Story – Tungsram Heritage – Tungsram – https://lighting.tungsram.com/en/tungsram-heritage/tungsrams-century-old-leadership-insight-the-tungsten-lamp-story

[14] Edison light bulb – Wikipedia – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edison_light_bulb

[15] Tungsten capital of the world 赣州市人民政府 – https://www.ganzhou.gov.cn/c100627/201610/e4ef4569887d482ba3157604a7711ef9.shtml

[16] The Tungsten Light Bulb Scandal of 1908 – New England Historical Society – https://newenglandhistoricalsociety.com/tungstenlight-bulb-scandal-1908/

[17] William D. Coolidge – Wikipedia – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_D._Coolidge

[18] William D Coolidge | Radiology Reference Article | Radiopaedia.org – https://radiopaedia.org/articles/william-d-coolidge?lang=us

[19] WE‐H‐204‐01: William D. Coolidge, Inventor of the Modern X‐Ray Tube – Allard – 2016 – Medical Physics – Wiley Online Library – https://aapm.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1118/1.4957971

[20] Cemented carbide – Wikipedia – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cemented_carbide

[21] Wolfram Crisis – Wikipedia – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wolfram_Crisis

[22] Mining in Cornwall and Devon – Wikipedia – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mining_in_Cornwall_and_Devon

[23] UK needs to revive rich mining history to counter China – https://www.miningweekly.com/article/uk-needs-to-revive-rich-mining-history-to-counter-china-2023-07-06

[24] Tungsten Mines in China-tungsten manufacturer and supplier – http://www.chinatungsten.com/mapc.htm

[25] Tungsten mine opens in Korea as U.S. seeks non-China critical minerals – https://www.cnbc.com/2024/11/29/tungsten-mine-opens-in-korea-as-us-seeks-non-china-critical-minerals.html

[26] Tungsten West Limited – Cornwall Trade and Investment – https://cornwallti.com/case-studies/tungsten-west-limited/

[27] Four reasons behind the ten-year high of Chinese tungsten prices – Fastmarkets – https://www.fastmarkets.com/insights/four-reasons-behind-the-ten-year-high-of-chinese-tungsten-prices/

[28] Tungsten supply crisis threatens defense and tech industries – The Oregon Group – Critical Minerals and Energy Intelligence – https://theoregongroup.com/commodities/rare-earths/supply-crisis-in-tungsten-threatens-defense-and-tech-industries/

[29] Mapping the global flow of tungsten to identify key material efficiency and supply security opportunities – ScienceDirect – https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0921344915300367