E-cigarette may cause tungsten and cobalt hard-metal lung disease, according to foreign media reports, a new case study conducted in Europe warns that e-cigarettes and other vaping devices may cause scarring in the lungs normally only found in metals workers. The research has been published by the European Lung Foundation. The study noted that hard-metal lung disease, a rare lung disease that results from inhaling hard metal particles, was identified in a person who used vaping devices.

Analysis of latest tungsten market from Chinatungsten Online

Chinese tungsten prices are unchanged from the previous trading day. Although confidence in the raw material markets is boosted, market participants remain cautious to the market outlook. In the short term, mainstream tungsten product prices will hover around new offer levels from listed tungsten companies. 

The praseodymium oxide, dysprosium oxide and praseodymium and neodymium metal prices in the Chinese market edge higher on Dec. 15, 2019. With the limited release of light and heavy rare earth ore production capacity and the low raw material inventory of downstream users, the prices of some products have been pushed up slightly, but the actual transactions are still weak. 

The sodium molybdate, ammonium molybdate and ammonium heptamolvbdate prices in the Chinese market continue to rise as most sellers have strong rised mentality with the support of tight raw material supply. 

North Korea's trade dependence on China has increased to 91.8% and tungsten is one of the country's main exports. A report released by the Korea International Trade Association (KITA) on December 1 showed that N. Korea's dependence on Chinese trade keeps on rising, with China representing 90% of all North Korean trade in 2018, which increased to 5.3 times in 2001. Among them, tungsten and other products replaced anthracite as N. Korea's main export products.

Analysis of latest tungsten market from Chinatungsten Online

The tungsten prices in China start to show upward trend in the week began on Monday December 2, 2019 as the rise in new offers from listed tungsten companies boosts market confidence. the production costs increase, and thus raw material sellers are reluctant to sell products at low prices. But downstream buyers mainly take a watchful stance with low demand for products. 

Rare earth market quotation in China: the latest terbium oxide and dysprosium oxide prices edge higher while praseodymium oxide price maintains stability in early December. As China ’s ecological environment protection and industry chaos have been continuously strengthened at the end of the year, rare earth mine production capacity has been controlled to support the confidence of most suppliers, so the market price is stable. but downstream users' demand still needs to be increased in the short term. 

Molybdenum market quotation in China: the latest prices of ferro molybdenum and molybdenum concentrate rise slightly while molybdenum bar price remains unchanged from the previous trading day as a result of strong rised mentality of sellers but cautious sentiment of downstream users. 

Tungsten products are Chengdu's main commodities exported to its fifth-largest trading partner - Japan, as per statistics of the Chengdu Commerce Bureau, from January to September in 2019, the total import and export volume of the city has reached 415.61 billion yuan, an increase of 18.6% year-on-year. Among them, Japan, as the city's fifth-largest trading partner, with import and export figures of 22.79 billion yuan over the same period. The exports are mainly tablet computers, notebook computers, Chinese herbal medicine, tungsten products, etc., and its imports are mainly auto parts.

As the PDC World Darts Championship approaches in just under two weeks, we take a look at the top five combined averages in history of the tournament.

The number one World Championship confirmed average is the 2017 semi-final between Michael Van Gerwen and Raymond van Barneveld.

This is 223.39 and saw MVG hit a 114.05 average and Barney hit a 109.34 average in what was a 6-2 win for the former.

Second also includes Van Gerwen who hit an average of 107.79 and 104.93 for Gary Anderson in the 2017 Final which made for a 212.72 average.

Phil Taylor has the third and fifth highest with 212.12 and 210.82 in victories over Raymond van Barneveld and Mick McGowan. In both matches he only dropped one set.

Flanked in between that is Van Gerwen’s close win in 2017 against Cristo Reyes with a combined 211.34 average in what was at one point the highest losing average for Reyes.

In the latest news coming out of the BDO, it has been revealed in a letter sent to respective counties that the organisation will start charging for its ranking tournaments.

Currently darting bodies don’t have to pay to host e.g a Category A tournament but now they will be charged 5 percent of the prize fund for every tournament for example, a £2,000 prize fund will incur a £100 fee.

This will supposedly go to running tournaments smoother in terms of the equipment used for the I.T so that players have better statistics.

This itself runs to the players as well who all have to pay a £2 levy for every tournament within 7 days of the tournament taking place. Late payment as well will lead to the tournament not appearing on the ranking tables and further fees may be charged.

With the BDO not running every single tournament on the calendar such as the Dutch Open, it will be interesting to see if the darts bodies react to this news.