Chinese Acquisition of Mineral Resources to Enhance Tungsten Carbide Development

Aero engine is a one of the most difficult cutting-edge technology to be conquered in aviation fields. For decades, domestic researchers have been unable to fully grasp the researchers of modern aviation engine production and development. The most important reason is in the process of material manufacturing, such as low production and quality level in high-temperature alloys and tungsten carbide. The core indicator of aero engine is thrust-weight ratio, and in order to improve the thrust-weight ratio, we should ensure the capacity of high-temperature turbine blade material improved. Every increase of temperature of 100 degrees Celsius, thrust-weight ratio can be increased by 10%.

In general, a military turbine engine in which a majority of funds invested into research and development of materials. The main structure of aircraft engines, the application of large parts of high-temperature alloys and tungsten carbide, and their manufacture are inseparable from the participation of a rare earth metal. China’s rare earth reservation is the first place in the world, but relatively small reservations of rare metals in the manufacture of high-end aero engine indispensable Ni, Co-based alloys and other long-term controlled by others. But the kinds of situation is expected to be broken, a domestic Molybdenum price $ 2.65 billion from the international mining giant acquired a 56% stake in the largest copper and cobalt Congo (DRC), the mine bears more than 28 million tons of copper and 300 tons of cobalt ore, with an annual capacity of 20.4 tons of copper and 16,000 tons of cobalt., reported by Reuters.

Broadly speaking, tungsten carbide is one of super hard materials made of the hard refractory metal compound and binder phase produced by powder metallurgy process (Powder Metallurgy, PM). From the narrow sense, usually refers to tungsten carbide WC-Co alloy, which has high hardness, high melting point, high strength and excellent wear and corrosion resistance. Even at 1000 ℃ still have high hardness, which can be widely used in cutting tool material, such as turning, milling, planer, drill, boring knives for cutting cast iron, nonferrous metals, plastics, chemical fiber, graphite, glass, stone and ordinary steel can also be used to cut the heat material difficult to machine steel, stainless steel, high manganese steel, tool steel. Take Co as an example, it is a key ingredient in the production of high-temperature alloys, tungsten carbide wear and other materials with wear and corrosion resistance. So it has a broad prospect in military and aero industries, such as armor-piercing ammunition, armored vehicles, aerospace engine.

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