The technology metal has numerous applications in military technology.
The U.S. Department of War is investing $450 million in the tungsten supply chain. The financing will take the form of redeemable preferred equity in the Elmet Group. Unlike a traditional grant, this gives the U.S. government an equity stake in the company that can later be repurchased by Elmet. With the funding, the company plans, among other things, to expand its existing production facilities in the United States, strengthen processing capacity for ammonium paratungstate (APT), an important intermediate product in tungsten processing, and secure additional raw material sources in the United States and allied countries.
According to the Pentagon, the Elmet Group is the only fully integrated U.S. manufacturer of tungsten and molybdenum materials and components.
In the military sector, tungsten is used, among other applications, in advanced armor and armor-piercing ammunition, while molybdenum plays an important role in the production of steel alloys. China holds a high share of the global market for both raw materials.
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