The Tungsten Connection
During the Second World War, Hitler's scientists developed a new metal
that was harder than any known up to that point. The Allied Powers
first became aware of this alloy when the Panzer tank division rolled
over all opposition and the bullets just bounced off. When the metal on
these tanks was analyzed, it was found to contain the element tungsten.
This metal with the highest melting point of any metal was used as
filaments in light bulbs and was not available in large quantities, at
least not large enough to fuel the new demand for war machinery. The
search for tungsten in the world brought bitter disappointment to the
Allies. Japan had occupied the countries that had the largest and most
productive mines. One such country was Vietnam. After the war, when the
Japanese were forced to leave Vietnam the French were poised and ready
to secure this strategic area. In the interim before the Japanese left
and the French took over, a large cargo ship from the United States
slipped into Haiphong harbor, loaded tungsten from the warehouses and
skirted away. The French chased in pursuit but to no avail. The French
held this country in their colonial grasp until the Vietnamese defeated
them at Dien Bien Phu. The Geneva Accords that were accepted by the
French stated that elections would be held to unify the country in
1954. When the time came for the elections, then President Eisenhower
said in a White Letter that we cannot allow elections in Vietnam to
transpire because Ho Chi Minh would be elected and the tin and tungsten
mines were too important to us to allow them to fall into Communist
hands.
China produces 23% of the worlds tungsten, 14,900 short
tons yearly. The second largest producer is the Soviet Union with 9,800
short tons, and third is the United States with 4,000. General Electric
is the largest purchaser in the United States.
Although small, Nicaragua has the only tungsten mines in
all of Central America. Tungsten (Swedish, tung sten, heavy stone)
A.K.A. Wolfram; atomic weight 183.85; atomic number 74; important
deposits occur in Nevada, California, North Carolina, China, Korea,
Bolivia, U.S.S.R., and Portugal.
spider 1990
