Europe taps into the secret riches of tungsten
Due to its unique physical properties, tungsten is crucial to a wide range of industries for the production of alloys and carbides. World tungsten supply is volatile, and China dominates the market. The EU-funded TUNGSTEN (Formation of a giant tungsten deposit: Metal sources and fluid evolution at Panasqueira, Portugal) initiative aimed to understand the influence of fluids in a tungsten ore deposit. The researchers used cutting-edge analytical techniques to provide a better understanding of the source of this metal. TUNGSTEN studied fluids involved in tungsten mineralisation at the Panasqueira mine to understand how tungsten vein deposits form. The researchers developed methods to analyse mineralising fluids and interpret the properties of these fluids within complex mixtures. The project team determined the composition of the mineralising fluids at the Panasqueira mine and determined the processes that lead to tungsten mineralisation. These results provide insight into how localised distribution of tungsten mineralisation occurs worldwide. TUNGSTEN developed a comprehensive model for the formation of the economically and technologically important tungsten ore. Project work will help position the EU at the forefront of research in the geology of tungsten.
Keywords
Tungsten, ore, metal sources, fluid evolution, mineralisation
