tungsten

Hard, heavy, grey-white, metallic element, atomic number 74, relative atomic mass 183.85. Its chemical symbol comes from the German Wolfram. It occurs in the minerals wolframite, scheelite, and hubertite. It has the highest melting point of any metal (3,410°C/6,170°F) and is added to steel to make it harder, stronger, and more elastic; its other uses include high-speed cutting tools, electrical elements, and thermionic couplings. Its salts are used in the paint and tanning industries.

Tungsten was first recognized in 1781 by Swedish chemist Karl Scheele in the ore scheelite. It was isolated in 1783 by Spanish chemists Fausto D'Elhuyar (1755-1833) and his brother Juan José (1754-1796).

In spring 1999, the US Army started issuing soldiers with environmentally friendly bullets that are composed of tungsten, which does not pollute the soil, unlike lead that had traditionally been used in bullets.