US scrambles for critical missile metal after war with Iran
The US is urgently searching for a critical metal for missiles (photo: Getty Images)
The war in Iran has depleted US arsenals, prompting Washington to begin searching for tungsten — a key metal used in the production of bombs, missiles, and other weapons. China controls 80% of its reserves, NBC News reports.
Why tungsten is important and dependence on China
As the publication writes, Washington has found itself in a vulnerable position, since more than 80% of the global production of this strategic resource is controlled by China.
Tungsten is used in fighter jets, bunker-buster bombs, armor-piercing shells, and missile systems, making it indispensable for national defense.
At the same time, since 2015, the United States has had no active commercial tungsten mines, and the administration of US President Donald Trump has set a goal of reducing dependence on Chinese supplies.
Where they are searching for the metal
One of the places where this metal can be found is located in the mountains of eastern South Korea — at a mine owned by an American company that contains millions of tons of tungsten ore.
"There are very few large-scale tungsten mines on the planet," said Lewis Black, chief executive of Almonty Industries. He was referring to the Sangdong mine, which the company reopened in March after a break of more than 30 years due to competition from China.
According to him, tungsten was for a long time considered a "war metal." In recent decades, it has also become a "backbone metal" for the technology sector and is used in semiconductors, batteries, and smartphones.
"The demand for tungsten is going to increase. So having a resilient supply chain for tungsten is going to be extremely important over the next decade, two decades," said Steve Allen, Almonty's chief operating officer.
Trump's plan
The Trump administration has already announced the creation of a $12 billion reserve of critical minerals, as well as support for new mining projects in the United States and allied countries.
Among them is a large-scale tungsten plant in Kazakhstan worth $1.1 billion.
However, experts acknowledge that even with active Western investment, it will take decades to reduce dependence on China.
"You won't be totally self-sufficient in under 20," the expert added.
What is known about tungsten
Tungsten is considered one of the strongest metals in the world. It melts at 3410°C (6,170°F) and boils at 5500°C (9,932°F), which is comparable to the temperature of the Sun's surface.
This metal is also very dense and hard.
It is precisely because of these properties that tungsten alloys are used in armor-piercing ammunition as cores that help penetrate armor.
In addition, it is used in the production of components for aviation, missiles, and other military equipment when a large mass is required in a compact volume.
The US war against Iran
Earlier, on May 5, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that Operation Epic Fury against Iran had ended and Washington had achieved its objectives. Later, US President Donald Trump said that the United States had held very good talks with Iran.
Already on May 18, Trump stated that time was running out for Tehran. According to him, if Iran does not offer more favorable terms for an agreement, the country will face much harsher consequences.
Meanwhile, the media writes that the United States has prepared several military scenarios regarding Iran if diplomacy finally reaches a dead end.
