South Korean mine could soon supply the United States with essential mineral

Sangdong Mine, South Korea — Nestled deep in the mountains of South Korea, in a remote eastern part of the country, lies one of the world’s largest deposits of a critical mineral.

The Sangdong mine contains millions of tons of tungsten, known as a war metal capable of withstanding extraordinary temperatures, which the United States desperately needs for its defense.

Mining company Almonty Industries reopened the mine after it closed more than 30 years ago, when China put almost all other tungsten producers out of business.

“The United States is right to do this, they have no choice,” Lewis Black, CEO of Almonty Industries, told CBS News. “The status quo cannot be restored.”

But China dominates now the rare earth and critical mineral industries that are necessary to operate much of the technology used today. During the recent trade warChina has threatened to use it as a stranglehold and cut off supplies, which is why the United States is desperate for alternative supplies.

Tanks, fighter jets, armor-piercing munitions, bunker busting bombs and artificial intelligence missile guidance systems all need tungsten. Black guaranteed a supply during his visit last week to the White House.

When asked by CBS News if he would be able to meet the U.S. government’s demand for tungsten, Black told CBS News, “For American national security, yes.”

This is not the first time that tungsten has been used at the center of the war machine. During World War II, Allied countries fought to stop the flow of Spanish deposits to Nazi Germany.

In May, the United States signed a minerals agreement with Ukraine, described at the time by Ukrainian officials as an equal partnership between the two countries to develop mining, oil and gas projects in Ukraine. Under the agreement, the United States would provide either direct financial aid or new military aid to Ukraine, which, in turn, would contribute half of the royalties from future oil, gas and mining licenses. Leading to As part of the deal, President Trump had presented it as a way for Ukraine to repay the United States for the military support it received in its war against Russia.

In the labyrinth of underground tunnels of the Sangdong mine, CBS News has discovered the latest deposits. A UV lamp illuminates the tungsten embedded in the rock.

The weight of gold, combined with the fragility of ceramic, makes tungsten extremely difficult to extract. But once fully operational in the new year, Black says this mine will produce 1.2 million tons of tungsten ore per year, ensuring a guaranteed supply to the United States for decades to come.