Editing Tungsten (section)

=== Industrial ===
Tungsten is mainly used in the production of hard materials based on [[tungsten carbide]] (WC), one of the hardest [[carbide]]s.  WC is an efficient [[electrical conductor]], but W<sub>2</sub>C is less so.  WC is used to make wear-resistant [[abrasive]]s, and "carbide" cutting tools such as knives, drills, [[circular saw]]s, [[Die (manufacturing)|dies]], [[Milling machine|milling]] and [[Lathe (metal)|turning]] tools used by the metalworking, woodworking, [[mining]], [[petroleum]] and construction industries.<ref name="daintith" /> Carbide tooling is actually a ceramic/metal composite, where metallic cobalt acts as a binding [[Metal matrix composite|(matrix) material]] to hold the WC particles in place.  This type of industrial use accounts for about 60% of current tungsten consumption.<ref>{{cite encyclopedia| title = Tungsten|encyclopedia=The Canadian Encyclopaedia
 | url = https://thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/tungsten| access-date = 2020-07-18|author=Don Law-West|author2=Louis Perron}}</ref>

The [[jewelry]] industry makes rings of sintered [[tungsten carbide]], tungsten carbide/metal composites, and also metallic tungsten.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20130921060802/http://www.tungstenworld.com/Tungsten-The-Element-History-Uses-and-Wedding-Bands/ Tungsten: The Element, History, Uses and Wedding Bands].tungstenworld.com</ref> WC/metal composite rings use nickel as the metal matrix in place of [[cobalt]] because it takes a higher luster when polished. Sometimes manufacturers or retailers refer to [[tungsten carbide]] as a metal, but it is a [[ceramic]].<ref>{{cite book|author1=de Laubenfels, Blair|author2=Weber, Christy|author3=Bamberg, Kim
 |title=Knack Planning Your Wedding: A Step-by-Step Guide to Creating Your Perfect Day
 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=J63wUzbHxJcC&pg=PA35
 |date=2009|publisher=Globe Pequot|isbn=978-1-59921-397-2|pages=35–}}</ref> Because of tungsten carbide's hardness, rings made of this material are extremely abrasion resistant, and will hold a burnished finish longer than rings made of metallic tungsten. Tungsten carbide rings are brittle, however, and may crack under a sharp blow.<ref>{{cite book|author=Schultz, Ken
 |title=Ken Schultz's Essentials of Fishing: The Only Guide You Need to Catch Freshwater and Saltwater Fish
 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=R4aA5QZqj5kC&pg=PA138
 |date=2009|publisher=John Wiley and Sons|isbn=978-0-470-44431-3|pages=138–}}</ref>