Materials Flow of Tungsten in the United States

Because of continuing concerns regarding the effects of cumulative quantities of materials in the environment, the Bureau of Mines has initiated a series of studios to evaluate, to the fullest extent possible, all aspects of the materials flow sequence for selected commodities. Although tungsten and its compounds do not pose a significant health hazard to the environment, they do represent valuable resource materials to which appropriate conservation considerations must be given. The present study includes a description of recent trends in the consumption, loss, and recycling of tungsten-containing materials in the United States during the period 1974-1991 and an estimation of the cumulative loss of tungsten to the environment since 1910. Obsolete tungsten is recycled primarily as cemented tungsten carbide components that have been used in cutting and wear-resistant applications. The quantity recycled, as a percentage of annual U.S. consumption of tungsten, was estimated to have increased from 10% in 1974 to 34% in 1991. An estimated 58% of the 348,000 metrice tons of primary tungsten concumed since 1910 was lost to the enviroment through means such as dissipation, discard, and dilution.

Tungsten Manufacturer & Supplier: Chinatungsten Online - http://www.chinatungsten.com
Tel.: 86 592 5129696; Fax: 86 592 5129797
Email: sales@chinatungsten.com
Tungsten News & Tungsten Prices, 3G Version: http://3g.chinatungsten.com
Tungsten News & Tungsten Prices, WML Version: http://m.chinatungsten.com

• < Prev
• Next >