{
  "id": 319809,
  "title": "Nevada firm finds 1.78M tonnes of tungsten but NASA blocks mining",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/08/nevada-firm-finds-1-78m-tonnes-of-tungsten-but-nasa-blocks-mining",
  "topic": "business",
  "section": "Business",
  "published": "2026-08-08T14:30:36.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Times of India",
    "slug": "times-of-india",
    "url": "https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/us/china-controls-about-80-of-the-tungsten-market-a-nevada-company-says-it-has-found-1-78-million-tonnes-but-nasa-is-blocking-mining-on-part-of-the-site/articleshow/133054510.cms"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "A large tungsten resource of approximately 1.78 million tonnes has been discovered beneath the Nevada desert, according to Proton Lithium, a privately held critical-minerals developer. The Railroad Valley Minerals Project, which covers about 58 square miles near Ely, could become the largest known tungsten resource in the United States, exceeding five times the size of the next biggest deposit. If future drilling and technical studies confirm profitability, the mineral could significantly impact the US domestic tungsten industry, which has been largely absent since commercial mining ceased over a decade ago.\n\nThe in-ground value of the tungsten is estimated at around $152 billion based on current prices. However, this figure does not include the area where exploration is currently restricted by NASA due to its satellite calibration activities. The Nevada desert is also home to lithium, boron, and potash in underground salt beds, making the Railroad Valley project an important discovery in the broader mineral system.\n\nThe tungsten resource identified in the Railroad Valley project is classified as an inferred resource, meaning it is based on geological evidence and sampling but has not yet been proven to be economically recoverable. Before production could begin, additional drilling, engineering studies, environmental reviews, economic assessments, and permitting would be required.\n\nThe primary obstacle to developing the tungsten resource is NASA's land restriction, which prevents the company from drilling in a specific section of the project. NASA uses a portion of the desert for calibrating satellite instruments, and mining activity could potentially interfere with its satellite calibration work. The agency has maintained its stance despite 3 Proton Lithium's lobbying efforts and attempts to demonstrate that mining and satellite calibration could coexist.\n\nTungsten is a crucial metal known for its hardness, heat resistance, and strength, making it essential for industrial cutting tools, aerospace components, military equipment, ammunition, and high-temperature manufacturing. Its importance has grown as global demand has increased from the defense, aerospace, and industrial sectors. China dominates the global tungsten market, accounting for approximately 80% of production, leading the United States to prioritize domestic tungsten discovery for supply-chain security.",
  "summary": null,
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}