Tungsten (W)
Transition metal with atomic number 74. Highest melting point of any metal (3422°C). Base for carbide and refractory filaments.
Tungsten (symbol W, from the German Wolfram) is a critical raw material for cutting tools. About 60% of world production goes into carbide manufacturing.
Supply Chain
China accounts for approximately 80% of global tungsten refining capacity. The European Union, USA, and Japan classify tungsten as a strategic raw material. Reducing consumption in the machining industry is an explicit ESG priority.
How Hanna HR® reduces consumption
The tool body is reused for thousands of cycles. Only the insert, with a few grams of WC, is discarded when its service life is exhausted — and even then, it can be refurbished.