Tungsten recycling in the United States in 2000

Abstract

As world population increases and the world economy expands, so does the demand for natural resources. An accurate assessment of the Nation's mineral resources must include not only the resources available in the ground but also those that become available through recycling. Supplying this information to decisionmakers is an essential part of the USGS commitment to providing the science that society needs to meet natural resource and environmental challenges.The U.S. Geological Survey is authorized by Congress to collect, analyze, and disseminate data on the domestic and international supply of and demand for minerals essential to the U.S. economy and national security. This information on mineral occurrence, production, use, and recycling helps policymakers manage resources wisely.USGS Circular 1196, "Flow Studies for Recycling Metal Commodities in the United States," presents the results of flow studies for recycling 26 metal commodities, from aluminum to zinc. These metals are a key component of the U.S. economy. Overall, recycling accounts for more than half of the U.S. metal supply by weight and roughly 40 percent by value.

Progress in Sustainable Recycling and Circular Economy of Tungsten Carbide Hard Metal Scraps for Industry 5.0 and Onwards

“…Figure 12 lists the most common methods for recycling tungsten (and its carbides). Some other methods are documented elsewhere [88][89][90][91].…”

“…According to the ITIA, it is projected that 35-40% of tungsten will be recycled (end-of-life recycling rate or functional recycling rate) in the future due to its high demand, highlighting the vital contribution of recycling industries to the growth of the WC market. Thanks to increasing focus in WC scrap recycling and its technology, the impact on the environment appears to decrease [88]; however, to benefit fully from recycling, several other factors need to be addressed, focusing on achieving 'integrated sustainability'.…”

Resourcing Future Generations Requires a New Approach to Material Stewardship

“…Whereas it is relatively easy to track the ethical sourcing of commodities such as gold and diamonds, for other materials which require complex processing, such as cobalt and tungsten, it is more difficult to do so [25,42].…”

A nanostructured MoO2/MoS2/MoP heterojunction electrocatalyst for the hydrogen evolution reaction

“…Therefore, the element phosphorus (P) is in the same period as S, and the P ion radius (0.044 nm) is smaller than the S ion radius (0.184 nm), which has low electronegativity. The reserves of molybdenum ore, tungsten ore, and P are abundant and inexpensive [33][34][35]. China is one of the most abundant molybdenum mineral resources in the world.…”