{
  "id": 6244363,
  "title": "Almonty Korea Tungsten expands Sangdong Mine staff to 133 ahead of planned full operation",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/08/almonty-korea-tungsten-expands-sangdong-mine-staff-to-133-ahead-of",
  "topic": "business",
  "section": "Business",
  "published": "2026-09-08T06:12:03.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Korea Times",
    "slug": "the-korea-times-koreatimes",
    "url": "https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/business/companies/20260908/almonty-korea-tungsten-expands-sangdong-mine-staff-to-133-ahead-of-planned-full-operation"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Almonty Korea Tungsten has expanded its workforce at the Sangdong tungsten mine to 133 as of the end of August, as the site prepares for full operation, the company announced on Tuesday. This hiring surge brings the total number of employees to more than triple its 2023 count of 39. The mine, located in Yeongwol County, Gangwon Province, was once one of the world's largest tungsten mines before shutting down in the early 1990s due to a prolonged price downturn. Almonty, a Canada-based mining company, has restarted operations after a 32-year hiatus, and the mine is expected to eventually supply a significant portion of global tungsten demand outside China. Tungsten, a hard and heat-resistant metal, finds applications in various fields, including semiconductor manufacturing and defense. Currently, approximately half of Almonty's 133 employees are from Gangwon Province, with 28 hailing from Sangdong-eup and 12 from Yeongwol County. This workforce expansion is supported by a partnership with the local Yeongwol Employment Center.",
  "summary": "Almonty Korea Tungsten said Tuesday it hired 51 new employees this year as redevelopment of the Sangdong tungsten mine moves toward full operation, bringing its workforce to 133 as of the end of August, with plans to add about 70 more positions by year-end. Sangdong, in Yeongwol County, Gangwon Province, was once one of the world's largest tungsten mines before it shut down in the early 1990s…",
  "key_points": [
    "Almonty Korea Tungsten hires 133 staff at Sangdong Mine by end of August",
    "Mine resumes operations after 32-year shutdown in Yeongwol County",
    "Local workforce includes 28 from Sangdong-eup and 12 from Yeongwol"
  ],
  "editors_take": "The rapid workforce expansion at Sangdong Mine signals a significant step towards fulfilling Almonty Korea Tungsten's ambitions to become a major global supplier of tungsten, while also boosting local employment.",
  "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."
}