Objective Tungsten is a strategic resource crucial to a wide range of industries due to its unique physical properties, especially for the production of alloys and carbides. World tungsten supply is currently somewhat volatile owing to the market domination by a single nation (China), as well as recently imposed export quotas that contribute to market instability. The disappearance of EU tungsten would result in full dependence of several critical industries on imports from abroad. In this context, understanding the distribution of tungsten at local and regional scales within Europe has been deemed strategically important by the European Union.The regional distribution of tungsten is controlled by the location of the granites that act as the source of tungsten. The local distribution of tungsten is controlled by the mechanisms that lead to tungstate precipitation. Therefore, understanding metal provenance, and the processes of metal mobilization and deposition is essential to determining where mineralization will occur. This study will provide the first state-of-the-art quantitative data on how fluids evolve in a world-class tungsten deposits (Panasqueira) and, based on those results, will provide constraints on genetic processes and on the distribution of tungsten. Furthermore, this study will apply cutting-edge analytical techniques to define the isotopic composition and age of ore minerals, providing better understanding of the source of metals, which is also one of the defining factors in the regional distribution of tungsten.This project will position the European Union at the forefront of research in the geology of tungsten and establish a network of researchers with the background and tools to continue to advance this field in close collaboration with the industry partners. Fields of science natural scienceschemical sciencesinorganic chemistryinorganic compoundsnatural scienceschemical sciencesinorganic chemistrytransition metalsnatural sciencesearth and related environmental sciencesgeology Programme(s) FP7-PEOPLE - Specific programme "People" implementing the Seventh Framework Programme of the European Community for research, technological development and demonstration activities (2007 to 2013) Topic(s) FP7-PEOPLE-2013-IEF - Marie-Curie Action: "Intra-European fellowships for career development" Call for proposal FP7-PEOPLE-2013-IEF See other projects for this call Funding Scheme MC-IEF - Intra-European Fellowships (IEF) Coordinator EIDGENOESSISCHE TECHNISCHE HOCHSCHULE ZUERICH EU contribution € 199 317,60 Address Raemistrasse 101 8092 Zuerich Switzerland See on map Region Schweiz/Suisse/Svizzera Zürich Zürich Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Administrative Contact Christoph Heinrich (Prof.) Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Total cost No data