Exclusive: U.S. invests $6.2 million in domestic tungsten metal production critical for combat vehicles and munitions.

According to information published by the U.S. Department of Defense on July 22, 2025, the Pentagon has awarded $6.2 million to Golden Metal Resources to develop a pre-feasibility study for the Pilot Mountain tungsten mining site in Nevada. This investment, made through Title III of the Defense Production Act, is part of a strategic push to reestablish domestic mining capabilities for critical minerals, especially tungsten. It supports Executive Order 14241, signed on March 20, 2025, which demands urgent action to increase American mineral production to secure the industrial base of the United States.
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Tungsten is a critical material used in the production of tank armor due to its high density and strength enhancing battlefield protection. (Picture source: U.S. DoD)

Tungsten is not just another industrial metal. It is one of the most indispensable elements for national defense. With the highest melting point of all metals and exceptional density and strength, tungsten plays a key role in modern warfare. It is a vital alloying element in armor-piercing munitions, missile components, rocket engine nozzles, and aerospace parts used in fighter jets and space systems. In military vehicles, it enhances armor protection, while in electronic systems, it enables thermal management for high-performance applications. In short, tungsten is foundational to U.S. military capability.

Despite its critical role, the United States has not mined tungsten domestically in nearly a decade. This has left the country heavily reliant on foreign suppliers, particularly China, which currently dominates the global tungsten market. Such dependency is a major strategic vulnerability that threatens the continuity of U.S. defense manufacturing in the face of geopolitical tensions or supply chain disruptions. Restoring domestic tungsten production is therefore essential to ensuring long-term defense readiness.

Dr. Vic Ramdass, Acting Assistant of U.S. Secretary of Defense for Industrial Base Policy, stated that developing a domestic source for tungsten is one of the Department's top critical and strategic mineral priorities. This initiative represents a broader shift in U.S. defense policy that recognizes the importance of raw material security in sustaining military production and innovation.

Golden Metal Resources, a subsidiary of Guardian Metal Resources PLC, will conduct metallurgical test work, engineering analysis, environmental assessments, and regulatory studies to determine the feasibility of mining tungsten at Pilot Mountain. If proven viable, the site could become a significant new domestic source of tungsten for the defense sector. This project is one of three tungsten-focused efforts backed by the DPA Title III program since 2024 and is part of a larger effort to diversify and strengthen the defense industrial base.

Mr. William Greg Davis, Acting Director of the Manufacturing Capability Expansion and Investment Prioritization (MCEIP) directorate, confirmed that this investment will help the nation reach commercial-scale production of tungsten, which is crucial for a wide array of Department of Defense systems. Since the beginning of fiscal year 2025, the Department has made eight awards totaling $314.9 million in support of critical mineral production, backed by an additional $83.4 million in industry cost shares.

Rebuilding domestic tungsten production is not merely a matter of economic policy. It is a strategic necessity that will reinforce the United States' position as a global defense leader. By investing in projects like Pilot Mountain, the U.S. is taking concrete steps to secure the raw materials that make advanced defense systems possible and to reduce its reliance on adversarial sources. This marks a significant move toward ensuring the security, resilience, and autonomy of the American defense industrial base.