Howdy Todays...I am still around and do read the thread daily,...

Howdy Todays...

I am still around and do read the thread daily, but quietly playing with a few other stocks which have peaked my interest at the moment.

The general feel across my research is that there is a lot more focus on tungsten than most people realise and I can understand why demand will pick up. Especially as Tungsten is now considered useful by the IAEA in nuclear reactors as neutron deflectors. A recent test was used in shielding for Fukushima. With Japanese reactors to come online again soon, shielding has become a mandatory requirement for upgrading.

Also of particular note is the push for powder metallurgy with specific application of tungsten. Mitsubishi Materials is a member contributor to the Japan Powder metallurgy Association (JPMA) as well as Sumitomo Electric, Hitachi Chemical, Diamet Corp and Toyota Motor Corp.

The world congress on powder metallurgy and particulate materials is about to be held in Orlando Florida (14-22 May) with 450 worldwide experts in tungstens and metal powders. JPMA is represented feeding directly into Mitsubishi Materials. CNQ won't be there, but the upshot is that there will be a lot of talk of tungsten powders and new commercial applications.

The following is quite a long convoluted read, but will give readers a bit of a background on why Mitsubishi materials have been taking so long with the various quality control tests.

Japan Powder metallurgy Association (JPMA), Japan Society for Powder and Powder Metallurgy (JSPM), and Powder Metallurgy Australia group have to adhere to a number of ISO findings in metal powders across the international arena. Tungsten being a metal powder also undergoes a number of ISO related tests.

The following are tests done on metal powders (not all applicable to tungsten though it gives an example of how much testing is done)
------------------------------------------------------------
Apparent Density measurement – ISO 3923-1 and -2
Tap Density measurement – ISO 3953
Flow Rate – ISO 4490
Apparent Density and Flow Rate at elevated temperatures - ISO 18549-1 and -2
Compressibility in uniaxial compression – ISO 3927 + Corrigendum 1
Powder sampling – ISO 3954
Green Strength – ISO 3995
Oxygen Content – ISO 4491-1, -2, -3 and -4
Acid insoluble content in iron, copper, tin and bronze powders – ISO 4496
Particle sizing by dry sieving – ISO 4497
Particle sizing by sedimentation analysis – ISO 10076
Specific surface area – ISO 10070
Lubricant content – ISO 13944
Non-metallic inclusion content using powder forged specimen – ISO 13947
Testing of copper infiltration powders – ISO 14168
Dimensional changes in compaction and sintering – ISO 4492
Permeable sintered metal materials – density, oil content, open porosity – ISO 2738
Permeable sintered metal materials – bubble test pore size – ISO 4003
Permeable sintered metal materials – fluid permeability – ISO 4022
Density of impermeable sintered materials – ISO 3369
Radial crushing strength of sintered bushes – ISO 2739
Tensile test pieces – ISO 2740
Fatigue test pieces – ISO 3928
Unnotched impact test piece – ISO 5754
Young’s modulus measurement - ISO 3312
Transverse rupture strength – ISO 3325 + Amendment 1
Apparent hardness and microhardness – ISO 4498
Compressive Yield Strength – ISO 14317
Metallographic preparation and examination – ISO/TR 14321
Case-hardening depth measurement – ISO 4507
Sample preparation for chemical analysis of carbon content – ISO 7625
Magnetisation coercivity – ISO 3326
Transverse rupture strength – ISO 3327
Rockwell hardness testing – ISO 3738-1 and -2
Vickers hardness testing – ISO 3878
Total carbon content – ISO 3907
Insoluble (free) carbon content – ISO 3908
Cobalt content – ISO 3909
Sampling and testing of sintered hardmetals – ISO 4489
Metallography – ISO 4499-1 and -2
Titanium content – ISO 4501
X-ray fluorescence analysis – ISO 4503 and ISO 4883
Metallographic assessment of porosity and uncombined carbon – ISO 4505
Compression testing – ISO 4506
Sampling and testing of powders using sintered test-pieces – ISO 4884
Chemical analysis by flame atomic absorption spectrometry – ISO 7627-1, -2, -3, -4, -5 and -6
Sulphur and carbon in cobalt metal powders – ISO 11873 + Corrigendum 1
Silicon in cobalt metal powders – ISO 11877, ISO 17352
Palmqvist toughness testing – ISO 28079

-----------------------------------------------------------

As you can see the list is exhaustive and once tests are done, then customers begin to vie for samples for further analysis in their particular industry. In Japan the primary uses will be in automotive, machinery, nuclear and medical technology, with aeronautics taking a back seat to the Europeans.

Lots to read and just very surprising how many uses there are for tungsten.

CNQ is quiet lately and seems to have formed a base around current levels. Not too bad considering this is the tax write off period in stocks.

I will be in Japan for a business trip in July and hope to get some first hand data. But like everyone else, I am waiting for funding to move us to the next leg.