New Type98/99 MBT thread

[RedMercury]

I agree. Also the comments are amusing. Amusingly terrible. I don't think anything was out of the ordinary there. If the view from the thermal imager were actually from the tank, it indicates an improvement over the original imagers used in the early 99s, with their stripped artifacts.

 

[pugachev_diver]

Anyone knows whether the PLA had ever tested or fielded any practical sandwiched uranium armors?

 

[williamhou]

Anyone knows whether the PLA had ever tested or fielded any practical sandwiched uranium armors?

China do not have a lot of depleted Uranium for mass production of anything it involves so this is not an option.

 

[crobato]

A little comment on history on some of the motivations in the development of depleted uranium.

Before DU, Tungsten is considered the most important metal in strengthening armor or shells. Unfortunately, it turns out that the dominating source of Tungsten turns out to be none other than China. When China fell to Communism, another alternative has to be found. That and the US and the USSR has begun to stockpiling nuclear waste product during the Cold War led to the use of DU, which also has its kinetic advantages to this purpose.

 

[FriedRiceNSpice]

Are you suggesting that the West did not have sufficient access to tungsten because China controlled most of the world's reserves?

Then why do we still use light bulbs!?!?!?

Tungsten was not a controlled material, and if American light bulb producers can get their hands on it, I am sure the US military would not have any difficulty securing abundant amounts of the material. I have not heard of the Chinese imposing end-user agreements on their tungsten exports.

Tungsten may have been the most crucial material for a long time, but DU must've offered something over tungsten, unless the US was really just pinching for pennies in their MBT designs (free DU vs cheap tungsten).

 

[adeptitus]

Are you suggesting that the West did not have sufficient access to tungsten because China controlled most of the world's reserves?

Currently China supplies over 75% of the world's Tungsten. North America does not have significant deposits of Tungsten. There is no active Tungsten mining in North America that I'm aware of. The last US Tungsten mine closed in 1992 and Canada in 2004.

If China and Russia were to cut off their Tungsten exports, the West would have a problem obtaining the mineral, other than recycling existing stock. The US military does hold a reserve stock however.

DU, Tungsten, and Lead all cause health/environmental problems. It'd be interesting to see what other minerals the military might use in the future.

Please, Log in or Register to view URLs content!

 

[FriedRiceNSpice]

Currently China supplies over 75% of the world's Tungsten. North America does not have significant deposits of Tungsten. There is no active Tungsten mining in North America that I'm aware of. The last US Tungsten mine closed in 1992 and Canada in 2004.

My point is, if China and Russia would never even contemplate of cutting of exports of tungsten. Just think of the sheer volume of tungsten they export every day to the world's light bulb producers. Lack of material for tank armor would be the least of our worries if tungsten exports were cut off, it is a crucial metal in many industrial processes, as well as light bulbs.

 

[adeptitus]

My point is, if China and Russia would never even contemplate of cutting of exports of tungsten. Just think of the sheer volume of tungsten they export every day to the world's light bulb producers. Lack of material for tank armor would be the least of our worries if tungsten exports were cut off, it is a crucial metal in many industrial processes, as well as light bulbs.

In times of war, it's possible for trade and transportation to be interrupted for extend period of time. Thus some governments maintain strategic reserves of oil, grain, coal, tungsten, tin, cobalt, uranium, etc. You could also recycle from existing industrial stock.

 

[Ambivalent]

Currently China supplies over 75% of the world's Tungsten. North America does not have significant deposits of Tungsten. There is no active Tungsten mining in North America that I'm aware of. The last US Tungsten mine closed in 1992 and Canada in 2004.

If China and Russia were to cut off their Tungsten exports, the West would have a problem obtaining the mineral, other than recycling existing stock. The US military does hold a reserve stock however.

DU, Tungsten, and Lead all cause health/environmental problems. It'd be interesting to see what other minerals the military might use in the future.

Please, Log in or Register to view URLs content!

Uh, not quite. California has a significant amount of unexploited tungsten.

Please, Log in or Register to view URLs content!

The high desert of California has tremendous miner wealth and some dedicated mining districts.
Here are the 1Q results from North American Tungsten. Their major mine is in Northwest Territories of Canada.

Please, Log in or Register to view URLs content!

 

[adeptitus]

Uh, not quite. California has a significant amount of unexploited tungsten.

During the Cold War era, the US scrambled to mine Tungsten in California, North Carolina, Idaho, Utah, Colorado, Washington, Wyoming, Montana, Arizona, etc. Most of the economically recoverable deposits that we're aware of were tapped out and the mines eventually closed. If the mining company feels that they can mine the scheelite here (I'm in CA) and be profitable, best of luck to them. The concentration of tungsten in ore here is pretty low. Perhaps with rising prices and better technology, they can make recovery economically feasible and profitable.