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The Mineral, Wolframite, is a principal ore of tungsten.
It is a iron and manganese tungstate mineral. Wolframite is commonly found in
granite and pegmatite dikes, and is often associated with
cassiterite; it also occurs in sulfide veins and placer deposits.
Because heat causes tungsten to
expand at about the same rate as glass, the metal is widely used
to make glass-to-metal seals. Tungsten or its alloys are used for
filaments for electric lamps, electron and television tubes,
electrical contact points for automobile distributors, heating
elements for electrical furnaces, and space, missile, and
high-temperature applications. Tungsten carbide is an important
compound in the metal working, mining, and petroleum industries.
Alloys such as high-speed steel, cristite, and stellite, used in
high-speed tools, contain tungsten. Other important tungsten
compounds are calcium and magnesium tungstates, which are used in
fluorescent lighting, and tungsten disulfide, which is used as a
high-temperature lubricant at temperatures up to 500 deg C.
Tungsten compounds also find uses in the chemical, paint, and
tanning industries. |
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