ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has an abundance of tungsten – a second hardest rare earth element on Earth with the second highest melting point. According to a rough estimate, in Chitral alone the deposits of this element are spread over 294-97 square kilometres. It is a highly strategic metal and its average price in the international market is around USD270-322 per metric ton.
Talking to WealthPK, Assistant Director of the Geological Survey of Pakistan (GSP) Yasir Shaheen said, “Undoubtedly, Pakistan is the treasure chest of a variety of minerals. A good number of these minerals are explored but still a variety of them await exploration. Deposits of tungsten in Pakistan are found in Ogi (Mansehra), Saindak (Chagai), Gilgit-Baltistan etc. Still some more places are marked and a lot more deposits are expected to be found.”
Yasir said a good quantity of tungsten was found in the form of placer deposits [natural concentration of heavy minerals caused by the effect of gravity on moving particles] at some places, but it was not the subject of common findings. As it is classified as a rare element, highly official concentration is needed to extract it for controlled issuance and usage, he added.
‘’Owing to its vitality in applications, tungsten is considered a strategic element. Commercially, it is available in powdered and solid form. Rather than selling it in raw form, it must be used/sold in a processed or finished form. By considering the worth of this element, Pakistan must focus on its marketing in a ready-to-use form.”
A report published by ResearchGate says, “Deposits of tungsten found in the area of Chitral, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (Pakistan) were evaluated by using multiple techniques e.g., microscopy, X-ray diffractometry, microscopy and chemical analysis. The froth flotation technique was recommended to get the principal mineral constituent.”
The total estimated quantity of tungsten in the earth’s crust is 1.5 ppm or 1.5 grams per ton. It is used as alloys, electrodes, field emitters, light bulb filaments, cathode ray tubes, heavy metal alloy (To manufacture cutting tools).
As a super alloy, it is used to form wear-resistant coatings. Proliferation in the electronic industry has led to a high rise in its demand. It is used considerably in oil/gas exploration and production e.g., as a catalyst in chemical reaction of petroleum, in shaped charges for hydraulic fracking in gas wells. Tungsten carbide is used in diamond drill bits. It is also used as a radiation shield for production of nuclear powder.
For defence purposes, it is used as armour piercing (AP) ammunition. Tungsten carbide thermal spray coatings are used to extend the life of shafts, propellers and turbines. It is also an essential part of telecommunication industry. In cellular phones, it is used as a counterweight to help it vibrate. It is also an essential part of heat sink devices or substances.
The global tungsten market is expected to grow by 28.14 Million Ton Per Annum (MTPA) at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 4.44% by the year 2026. It is exclusively found with other minerals, chiefly from scheelite and wolframite, while Ferberite and Huebnerite are also tungsten-bearing minerals.
