Tungsten supply shock from Iran and Ukraine wars threatens US munitions production beyond current conflicts
By
Kevin Williams
Pulled from the oven just right. Trustworthy, fact-dense, deeply satisfying.
Summary
The article examines how simultaneous wars in Iran and Ukraine have created a severe supply shock for tungsten, a critical but obscure metal essential for military munitions and industrial production. Unlike oil and gas, which could see relief if the Strait of Hormuz reopens, tungsten shortages are expected to persist long after conflicts end due to depleted stockpiles, concentrated global supply (primarily China), and sustained demand from ongoing weapons manufacturing. The piece highlights the strategic vulnerability of relying on a single dominant supplier for a material vital to national defense.
Key quotes
· 3 pulledThe vast amount of U.S. munitions used in battle combined with weapons shipped to Ukraine has left many U.S.-based e
Still, there is another element which has seen its price surge amid increasingly short supply because of war, but where the shock will not relent even if the Strait is reopened.
Oil and gas, of course, but also petrochemicals and everything derived from them (e.g. plastics) and helium are among raw materials that have been besieged by the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.
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