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74

W

Tungsten

Atomic Mass

183.84

Element Profile

TUNGSTEN

Transition metal

HighGenesis 12 ActiveQ2 2026 Reviewed

Tungsten is used in dense materials, high-temperature systems, tooling, defense, aerospace, and advanced manufacturing.

Launch Engine

Periodic Context

Current elementConnected elementsGenesis 12 active
H
HeLi
Be
B
C
N
O
F
Ne
Na
Mg
AlSi
P
S
Cl
Ar
K
Ca
Sc
Ti
V
Cr
Mn
Fe
CoNiCu
Zn
GaGe
As
Se
Br
Kr
Rb
Sr
Y
Zr
Nb
Mo
Tc
Ru
Rh
Pd
Ag
Cd
In
Sn
Sb
Te
I
Xe
Cs
Ba
La
Ce
Pr
Nd
Pm
Sm
Eu
Gd
Tb
Dy
Ho
Er
Tm
Yb
Lu
Hf
Ta
W
Re
Os
Ir
Pt
Au
Hg
Tl
Pb
Bi
Po
At
Rn
Fr
Ra
Ac
Th
Pa
U
Np
Pu
Am
Cm
Bk
Cf
Es
Fm
Md
No
Lr
Rf
Db
Sg
Bh
Hs
Mt
Ds
Rg
Cn
Nh
Fl
Mc
Lv
Ts
Og

Tungsten connects to hard metals, tooling, defense, and high-temperature systems.

Fiji: modeled context not active yetTanzania: modeled context not active yetW. Sahara: modeled context not active yetCanada: modeled context not active yetUnited States of America: modeled supply contextKazakhstan: modeled context not active yetUzbekistan: modeled context not active yetPapua New Guinea: modeled context not active yetIndonesia: modeled context not active yetArgentina: modeled context not active yetChile: modeled context not active yetDem. Rep. Congo: modeled context not active yetSomalia: modeled context not active yetKenya: modeled context not active yetSudan: modeled context not active yetChad: modeled context not active yetHaiti: modeled context not active yetDominican Rep.: modeled context not active yetRussia: modeled supply contextBahamas: modeled context not active yetFalkland Is.: modeled context not active yetNorway: modeled context not active yetGreenland: modeled context not active yetFr. S. Antarctic Lands: modeled context not active yetTimor-Leste: modeled context not active yetSouth Africa: modeled context not active yetLesotho: modeled context not active yetMexico: modeled context not active yetUruguay: modeled context not active yetBrazil: modeled context not active yetBolivia: modeled context not active yetPeru: modeled context not active yetColombia: modeled context not active yetPanama: modeled context not active yetCosta Rica: modeled context not active yetNicaragua: modeled context not active yetHonduras: modeled context not active yetEl Salvador: modeled context not active yetGuatemala: modeled context not active yetBelize: modeled context not active yetVenezuela: modeled context not active yetGuyana: modeled context not active yetSuriname: modeled context not active yetFrance: modeled context not active yetEcuador: modeled context not active yetPuerto Rico: modeled context not active yetJamaica: modeled context not active yetCuba: modeled context not active yetZimbabwe: modeled context not active yetBotswana: modeled context not active yetNamibia: modeled context not active yetSenegal: modeled context not active yetMali: modeled context not active yetMauritania: modeled context not active yetBenin: modeled context not active yetNiger: modeled context not active yetNigeria: modeled context not active yetCameroon: modeled context not active yetTogo: modeled context not active yetGhana: modeled context not active yetCôte d'Ivoire: modeled context not active yetGuinea: modeled context not active yetGuinea-Bissau: modeled context not active yetLiberia: modeled context not active yetSierra Leone: modeled context not active yetBurkina Faso: modeled context not active yetCentral African Rep.: modeled context not active yetCongo: modeled context not active yetGabon: modeled context not active yetEq. Guinea: modeled context not active yetZambia: modeled context not active yetMalawi: modeled context not active yetMozambique: modeled context not active yeteSwatini: modeled context not active yetAngola: modeled context not active yetBurundi: modeled context not active yetIsrael: modeled context not active yetLebanon: modeled context not active yetMadagascar: modeled context not active yetPalestine: modeled context not active yetGambia: modeled context not active yetTunisia: modeled context not active yetAlgeria: modeled context not active yetJordan: modeled context not active yetUnited Arab Emirates: modeled context not active yetQatar: modeled context not active yetKuwait: modeled context not active yetIraq: modeled context not active yetOman: modeled context not active yetVanuatu: modeled context not active yetCambodia: modeled context not active yetThailand: modeled context not active yetLaos: modeled context not active yetMyanmar: modeled context not active yetVietnam: modeled context not active yetNorth Korea: modeled context not active yetSouth Korea: modeled supply contextMongolia: modeled context not active yetIndia: modeled context not active yetBangladesh: modeled context not active yetBhutan: modeled context not active yetNepal: modeled context not active yetPakistan: modeled context not active yetAfghanistan: modeled context not active yetTajikistan: modeled context not active yetKyrgyzstan: modeled context not active yetTurkmenistan: modeled context not active yetIran: modeled context not active yetSyria: modeled context not active yetArmenia: modeled context not active yetSweden: modeled context not active yetBelarus: modeled context not active yetUkraine: modeled context not active yetPoland: modeled context not active yetAustria: modeled context not active yetHungary: modeled context not active yetMoldova: modeled context not active yetRomania: modeled context not active yetLithuania: modeled context not active yetLatvia: modeled context not active yetEstonia: modeled context not active yetGermany: modeled supply contextBulgaria: modeled context not active yetGreece: modeled context not active yetTurkey: modeled context not active yetAlbania: modeled context not active yetCroatia: modeled context not active yetSwitzerland: modeled context not active yetLuxembourg: modeled context not active yetBelgium: modeled context not active yetNetherlands: modeled context not active yetPortugal: modeled context not active yetSpain: modeled context not active yetIreland: modeled context not active yetNew Caledonia: modeled context not active yetSolomon Is.: modeled context not active yetNew Zealand: modeled context not active yetAustralia: modeled context not active yetSri Lanka: modeled context not active yetChina: modeled supply contextTaiwan: modeled supply contextItaly: modeled context not active yetDenmark: modeled context not active yetUnited Kingdom: modeled context not active yetIceland: modeled context not active yetAzerbaijan: modeled context not active yetGeorgia: modeled context not active yetPhilippines: modeled context not active yetMalaysia: modeled context not active yetBrunei: modeled context not active yetSlovenia: modeled context not active yetFinland: modeled context not active yetSlovakia: modeled context not active yetCzechia: modeled context not active yetEritrea: modeled context not active yetJapan: modeled supply contextParaguay: modeled context not active yetYemen: modeled context not active yetSaudi Arabia: modeled context not active yetN. Cyprus: modeled context not active yetCyprus: modeled context not active yetMorocco: modeled context not active yetEgypt: modeled context not active yetLibya: modeled context not active yetEthiopia: modeled context not active yetDjibouti: modeled context not active yetSomaliland: modeled context not active yetUganda: modeled context not active yetRwanda: modeled context not active yetBosnia and Herz.: modeled context not active yetMacedonia: modeled context not active yetSerbia: modeled context not active yetMontenegro: modeled context not active yetKosovo: modeled context not active yetTrinidad and Tobago: modeled context not active yetS. Sudan: modeled context not active yet
China

Dominant tungsten supply and processing

Bolivia

Tungsten resources

United States

Defense and industrial demand

Map Legend

Critical concentration
Production / source node
Processing / manufacturing

Key Takeaway

Tungsten risk is driven by supply concentration, hard-metal demand, defense relevance, tooling, and limited substitution.

Modeled intelligence. Not government data.

Tungsten

Element Intelligence

How Tungsten functions across real-world systems and future Periodic Engine economy layers.

Element Overview

Tungsten is a dense refractory metal with extreme melting point, hardness, and wear resistance.

OverviewMaterial Input

Sector Exposure

Tungsten connects defense, aerospace, cutting tools, mining, drilling, electronics, and high-temperature industrial systems.

Industry ExposureSystems

Supply Risk

Tungsten risk comes from concentrated production, processing dependence, defense use, and limited alternatives in hard-metal applications.

Supply RiskProcessing

Engine Utility

Tungsten functions as a hard-material and high-temperature dependency marker.

Engine InputDependency

Future Token Role

Tungsten tokens can represent cutting-tool capacity, defense penetrators, drilling systems, and high-temperature industrial exposure.

Supply ClaimEconomy Layer

Comparative Relevance

Tungsten has lower consumer visibility than Lithium or Copper, but high substitution difficulty in hard-metal and defense uses.

ComparativeGenesis 12

Modeled Intelligence Scorecard

Overall Score

86/100

High

Reviewed

Supply Risk

89/100

High

Elevated

Strategic Value

90/100

High

Future Relevance

83/100

High

Substitution Risk

87/100

High

Hard to replace

Industry Exposure

High

Specialized systems

Policy Sensitivity

High

Sensitive

Confidence

Medium

Reviewed

Scores are modeled intelligence scores, not official government scores.•Source-backed methodology.•Reviewed Q2 2026.

Pro

Reviewed Evidence Context

Reviewed Pro evidence summaries behind this element profile.

Tungsten (W)

Claim support summaries

See how reviewed public-safe context supports element intelligence.

Confidence and review status

Understand confidence levels and latest review signals.

Source discipline context

Broad source categories that inform the evidence.

Evidence summaries support interpretation of modeled intelligence. They do not expose scoring formulas, source-to-score mapping, reviewer notes, or internal source architecture.

Request Pro Access Request Briefing

Evidence summaries support interpretation, not official ratings.

Fact Box

Chemistry

Atomic Number74
Atomic Mass183.84 u
Group6
Period6
Blockd-block
State at 20°CSolid
Melting Point3422 °C
Boiling Point5555 °C
Density19.25 g/cm³
Electron Configuration[Xe] 4f¹⁴ 5d⁴ 6s²
CAS Number7440-33-7
Key Isotopes¹⁸²W, ¹⁸⁴W, ¹⁸⁶W

Fact Box

Strategic

Modeled StatusHigh
Genesis 12 StatusActive
Overall Score83 / 100
Supply Risk85 / 100
Substitution Risk83 / 100
Strategic Value88 / 100
Future Relevance80 / 100
Primary IndustriesDefense, Tools, Aerospace, Mining, Industry
ReviewedQ2 2026
ConfidenceMedium

Why Tungsten Matters

Tungsten matters because it performs where many metals fail: high heat, high wear, high density, and high stress across cutting tools, mining equipment, aerospace, defense, electronics, and drilling.

Cutting Tools

Tungsten carbide for machining and mining

Defense Systems

Dense and high-performance components

Aerospace

High-temperature, wear-resistant parts

Electronics

Contacts and specialized applications

Industrial Machinery

Harsh-environment tooling

Uses & Strategic Relevance

Cutting tools

Hard carbide tooling for machining and drilling.

Penetrators and armor

Dense material for armor and kinetic projectiles.

High-temperature components

Filaments and parts that withstand extreme heat.

Electronics and contacts

Electrical contacts and semiconductor interconnects.

Supply-Chain Risk

Production ConcentrationHigh
Processing ConcentrationHigh
Import ExposureHigh for many downstream users
By-product DependenceLow to medium
Recycling MaturityStronger than many specialty metals
Substitution DifficultyHigh
Policy SensitivityHigh

Risk Summary

Highly concentrated production and processing footprint.

Supply-Chain Flow

source

Scheelite/wolframite ore

China

source

Scheelite/wolframite ore

China

source

Scheelite/wolframite ore

China

source

Scheelite/wolframite ore

China

processing

APT conversion

China

Tungsten recycling helps but does not remove exposure in hard-metal and defense uses.

Substitution Difficulty

Use CasePossible Substitute(s)TradeoffDifficulty
Cutting toolsCeramics, cermets, coated steelsWear resistance and durability tradeoffsHigh
Defense density applicationsDepleted uranium, high-density alloysPolicy, performance, handling, qualificationHigh
High-temperature systemsMolybdenum, tantalum, ceramicsTemperature and mechanical tradeoffsMedium High
ElectronicsMolybdenum, copper alloysPerformance and thermal tradeoffsMedium
Drilling/mining toolsAlternative hard metalsWear and lifecycle tradeoffsHigh

Connected Elements

Elements often analyzed alongside Tungsten.

TaTantalumRefractory metals used in high-temperature parts.CoCobaltCobalt binds tungsten carbide in cutting tools.NiNickelSuperalloysMoMolybdenumClosely related refractory metals with similar uses.TiTitaniumAerospaceCuCopperElectronicsMnManganeseSteel systemsAlAluminumAerospace structures

How to Read This Profile

Periodic Engine modeled intelligence scores combine public source data, industry insights, supply-chain analysis, and technology relevance to assess strategic importance and risk.

Source Categories

USGS

U.S. Geological Survey

DOE

U.S. Department of Energy

IEA

International Energy Agency

EU Commission

EU Commission

PubChem

Chemical database

NIST

National Institute of Standards and Technology

Industry

Industry reports & associations

View Methodology
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