The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1909-12-06
THE MANY USES
OF TUNGSTEN
Extracts From Pamphlet Is
sued by Geological
Survey.
PRODUCTION IS
NOT VERY HEAVY
Mineral Is One of Deep Greek
Districts Numerous
Resources.

One OF the most widely known OF the
rarer metals ia tungsten found 10 some
extent In Utah. especially In the Deep
Creek district. The production OF this
metal In the United States. however, is
not large. as a little OF II goes long
way for some Of Its most important
uses. AS by far the largest part OF the
tungsten produced IS used in making tool
steel. the demand for tungsten decreased
greatly during the recent depression In
the steel industry. In 1908 the domestic
production OF tungsten ore. reduced TO nm
equivalent OF ore carrying 60 per cent
of tungstic trioxi6e (WO3) the ordinary
commercial basis In the United states,
was GIL short tons, valued at S22e,g55. as
against 1910 tons, valued at sseo,o4S. In
1907. The statistics al present available
from foreign countries show similar de-
cline. These figures are taken from a
an advance chapter from Mineral re-
year 1908" Mr. Hess gives also details
of the Industry by states. notes on the
occurrence and uses OF tungsten. ana
partial bibliography.
Occurrence of Tungsten.
Tungsten is OF wide occurrence. but the
10 be large. AS rule they are poek-
ety"-that is. they occur In lentcular
masses or small shoots. Many of, those at
the surface are quickly and easily mined.
but IL may then take all the profits de-
rived from the first ore body TO locate
another one.
hubncrita a tungstate OF manganese,
woframite, a tungstate of manganese
and iron; ferberite,. tungstate OF cai-
cium. They generally occur in veins cut
ting igneous rocks that contain much
silica such as granite and Sranodlorlte.
Some simple tests for Identifying THESE
minerals are described by MI Hess.
Uses of Tungsten.
The most important use Of tungsten Is
as an alloy for tool steel. 20 which 1t i'm
parts the property OF holding temper. at
much higher temperature than hlgh-
carbon steels. When lathe tools are
made of tunGtsen steel the lathe may DC
speeded up until the chips leaving the
tool are so hot that they turn blue. IL Is
said that about five times as much work
can be done by lathe built Tor such
speeds and work and fitted with tungs-
ten-steel tools as can be done by the
same lathe with carbon steel tools, From
16 TO 20 per cent Of tungsten Is ordi-
narily used in lathe tools.
that most OF the tungsten mined went
into arnor plate. but IL Is stated by the
ordinance bureau OF the navy depart
ment that tungsten Is not now, and. so
far as known To that bureau, never has
been used in the manufacture OF armor
plate in this country, and IL Is not known
To nave peen useo IN ouiSV ouiIttlee'
though II has probably been used In eX-
perimental armor plates. one OF the
most essential properties OF armor plate
IS it's ability 10 resist shock, and this
property is not impaired TO steel by
tungsten.
Used in Lamps.
AS the melting point OF tungsten is
very high-about $3.50 degrees centigrade
the metal is valuable FOR use as fla-
mcnt In incandescent electric lamps, and
Hc6 1at
mon use The whiteness OF the light
given by the tungsten filament makes II
much superior 10 that of carbon and the
efficiency OF the tungsten lamp is more
than twice as great chat Of the car
bon lamp. Thousands of hlaments can
be made from a pound OF tungtsen.
Tungsten salts are used in iireproohng
cloth for curtains: drapercs, etc; in
wcighting silks; In glass making; as a
mordant in dyeing. and for other pur
poses.