Tungsten is mined all over the world, although as mentioned China is the world’s largest producer by far. In 2022, the country mined 71,000 MT of the metal, far ahead of the 4,800 MT produced in Vietnam, the world’s second largest tungsten miner. China also leads in reserves with 1.8 million MT; Russia is in second place with 400,000 MT. Typically, tungsten deposits are found near orogenic belts, which are areas where tectonic plates have collided to form mountains. These belts run through East Asia, the Asiatic part of Russia, the east coast of Australia, the Rocky and Andes mountains and the Alpide belt, which spans over 15,000 kilometers across Eurasia's southern margin. One issue surrounding tungsten supply is the fact that the metal can be found in war-stricken countries like the Democratic Republic of Congo. For over a decade, the extraction of mineral resources in these areas has been linked to conflict, human rights abuses and corruption; for that reason, tungsten is known as a conflict mineral. Some government bodies have put rules in place to ensure that companies disclose where the conflict minerals they use come from. For example, the EU has taken action to strengthen its conflict minerals rules. In addition to being the world’s top tungsten producer, China is also the top tungsten consumer. Looking more closely at tungsten uses, it's clear many of them are correlated to the global economy. For example, tungsten carbide, alloy and chemicals are used in the construction, electronics, mining and automotive industries; they can also be found in oil operations, as well as mineral exploration and mining. Mill products require tungsten too — these include tungsten rods, sheets, wires, light bulb filaments and electrical contacts; that said, tungsten’s use in light bulb filaments is declining due to new lighting technologies. The chemical industry also consumes tungsten — tungsten compounds are used as lubricants, catalysts, pigments and enamels, as well as in electronics and for other electrical applications.