Tungsten
Tungsten is a refined Metal obtained by melting Wolframite. It has the highest melting point of any Refined Metal and the third-highest of any buildable material (after Insulite and Diamond).
Usage
The main usage of Tungsten is for Thermium production in Molecular Forge. 5 kg Niobium + 95 kg Tungsten = 100 kg Thermium.
Tungsten may also be used for any other task that needs Refined Metal. This is generally not recommended, as Thermium is superior in all regards except melting point - Tungsten provides the same bonus to overheat temperature as copper or gold, but without a Decor bonus. Notable cases where using tungsten as a building material is recommended include:
- Power and automation wires exposed to Rocket exhaust.
- Rocket loaders and unloaders in Spaced Out!.
- Radiant Liquid Pipes meant to handle extremely high temperatures (e.g. Liquid Steel systems).
- Tempshift Plates and Metal Tiles can also be made of tungsten - however, Diamond (with Window Tiles replacing metal tiles) offers both a higher melting point and greater thermal conductivity, while being generally less valuable than tungsten.
It is recommended to build power wires and automation wires nearby rockets with Tungsten, as it won't melt by the extremely hot gases of rocket exhaust.
Tungsten can be used instead of Raw Mineral for Liquid Pipes and Insulated Liquid Pipes, though its relatively high thermal conductivity makes it a poor choice for the latter. Tungsten liquid pipes are inferior to every possible Radiant Liquid Pipe and use twice as much material, but can be a short-term option if Smelting is researched before Liquid Tuning.
Production
- Metal Refinery can produce Tungsten from Wolframite with 100% efficiency. 100 kg Wolframite = 100 kg Tungsten.
- Smooth Hatch can eat Wolframite and excretes Tungsten. It is around 75% efficiency.
- Rock Crusher can produce Tungsten from Wolframite with 50% efficiency. 100 kg Wolframite = 50 kg Tungsten + 50 kg Sand.
- Abyssalite, can be melted at 3421.85 °C into Liquid Tungsten, cooling this down will produce Tungsten. Though this requires an exceptionally high temperature.
Tungsten Volcanoes can be found on one planet, which can provide continuous tungsten production (on the same planet as Experiment 52B S).- It can be harvested on rocket missions to renewable Space POIs:
- In Glimmering Asteroid Fields at a rate of 60 – 180 kg per cycle, as a molten liquid.
