Guardian Metal Resources PLC Announces Novel Paper on Tungsten Needs for Nuclear Fusion
Guardian Metal Resources (GMTLF) announces a groundbreaking study published in Fusion Engineering and Design journal, examining tungsten requirements for nuclear fusion technology. The research, co-funded by Guardian Metal and conducted with Oxford Sigma, reveals significant future demand implications.
The study projects that if global tungsten production remains static, the fusion industry will require 100% of global production by 2056. Production would need to increase 10-16 times from current levels by century's end. A single 2,000 MWth ARIES-ST reactor would consume approximately 2.6 times the current annual U.S. tungsten consumption over its 40-year lifespan.
Key findings show that an ARIES-ST reactor consumes 4,231 tonnes of tungsten at 500MWth and 29,034 tonnes at 2,000MWth over 40 full power-years. The EU-DEM01 reactor requires 3,945 tonnes at 500MWth and 9,554 tonnes at 2,000MWth. Current global consumption is approximately 100,000 tonnes annually.
Guardian Metal Resources (GMTLF) annuncia uno studio innovativo pubblicato sulla rivista Fusion Engineering and Design, che esamina i requisiti di tungsteno per la tecnologia della fusione nucleare. La ricerca, co-finanziata da Guardian Metal e condotta con Oxford Sigma, rivela importanti implicazioni sulla domanda futura.
Lo studio prevede che se la produzione globale di tungsteno rimarrà statica, l'industria della fusione avrà bisogno di 100% della produzione globale entro il 2056. La produzione dovrebbe aumentare da 10 a 16 volte rispetto ai livelli attuali entro la fine del secolo. Un singolo reattore ARIES-ST da 2.000 MWth consumerebbe circa 2,6 volte il consumo annuale attuale di tungsteno negli Stati Uniti nel suo ciclo di vita di 40 anni.
I risultati chiave mostrano che un reattore ARIES-ST consuma 4.231 tonnellate di tungsteno a 500MWth e 29.034 tonnellate a 2.000MWth in 40 anni di potenza continua. Il reattore EU-DEM01 richiede 3.945 tonnellate a 500MWth e 9.554 tonnellate a 2.000MWth. Il consumo globale attuale è di circa 100.000 tonnellate all'anno.
Guardian Metal Resources (GMTLF) anuncia un estudio innovador publicado en la revista Fusion Engineering and Design, que examina los requisitos de tungsteno para la tecnología de fusión nuclear. La investigación, cofinanciada por Guardian Metal y realizada con Oxford Sigma, revela importantes implicaciones sobre la demanda futura.
El estudio proyecta que si la producción global de tungsteno se mantiene estática, la industria de fusión requerirá el 100% de la producción global para 2056. La producción tendría que aumentar de 10 a 16 veces respecto a los niveles actuales para finales de siglo. Un solo reactor ARIES-ST de 2.000 MWth consumiría aproximadamente 2,6 veces el consumo anual actual de tungsteno en EE. UU. a lo largo de su vida útil de 40 años.
Los hallazgos clave muestran que un reactor ARIES-ST consume 4.231 toneladas de tungsteno a 500MWth y 29.034 toneladas a 2.000MWth durante 40 años de potencia total. El reactor EU-DEM01 requiere 3.945 toneladas a 500MWth y 9.554 toneladas a 2.000MWth. El consumo global actual es de aproximadamente 100.000 toneladas anuales.
가디언 메탈 리소스 (GMTLF)는 핵융합 기술을 위한 텅스텐 요구 사항을 조사한 Fusion Engineering and Design 저널에 발표된 혁신적인 연구를 발표했습니다. 이 연구는 가디언 메탈과 옥스포드 시그마가 공동 자금을 지원하였으며, 미래 수요에 대한 중요한 시사점을 드러냅니다.
연구에 따르면, 세계 텅스텐 생산이 정체된다면, 융합 산업은 2056년까지 세계 생산의 100%이 필요하게 될 것입니다. 생산은 세기 말까지 현재 수준에서 10배에서 16배 증가해야 합니다. 단일 2,000 MWth ARIES-ST 원자로는 40년의 수명 동안 현재 미국의 연간 텅스텐 소비량의 약 2.6배를 소비할 것입니다.
주요 결과는 ARIES-ST 원자로가 500MWth에서 4,231톤의 텅스텐을 소비하고 2,000MWth에서 29,034톤을 소비한다는 것을 보여줍니다. EU-DEM01 원자로는 500MWth에서 3,945톤, 2,000MWth에서 9,554톤을 요구합니다. 현재 전 세계 소비량은 연간 약 100,000톤입니다.
Guardian Metal Resources (GMTLF) annonce une étude révolutionnaire publiée dans le journal Fusion Engineering and Design, examinant les besoins en tungstène pour la technologie de fusion nucléaire. La recherche, cofinancée par Guardian Metal et réalisée avec Oxford Sigma, révèle d'importantes implications pour la demande future.
L'étude projette que si la production mondiale de tungstène reste statique, l'industrie de la fusion nécessitera 100% de la production mondiale d'ici 2056. La production devrait augmenter de 10 à 16 fois par rapport aux niveaux actuels d'ici la fin du siècle. Un réacteur ARIES-ST de 2 000 MWth consommerait environ 2,6 fois la consommation annuelle actuelle de tungstène aux États-Unis sur sa durée de vie de 40 ans.
Les résultats clés montrent qu'un réacteur ARIES-ST consomme 4 231 tonnes de tungstène à 500MWth et 29 034 tonnes à 2 000MWth sur 40 années de puissance totale. Le réacteur EU-DEM01 nécessite 3 945 tonnes à 500MWth et 9 554 tonnes à 2 000MWth. La consommation mondiale actuelle est d'environ 100 000 tonnes par an.
Guardian Metal Resources (GMTLF) kündigt eine bahnbrechende Studie an, die im Journal Fusion Engineering and Design veröffentlicht wurde und die Anforderungen an Wolfram für die Kernfusions-Technologie untersucht. Die Forschung, die von Guardian Metal mitfinanziert und in Zusammenarbeit mit Oxford Sigma durchgeführt wurde, zeigt bedeutende zukünftige Nachfrageimplikationen auf.
Die Studie prognostiziert, dass, falls die weltweite Wolframproduktion stabil bleibt, die Fusionsindustrie bis 2056 100% der globalen Produktion benötigen wird. Die Produktion müsste bis zum Ende des Jahrhunderts um das 10- bis 16-fache der aktuellen Werte steigen. Ein einzelner 2.000 MWth ARIES-ST-Reaktor würde über seine 40-jährige Lebensdauer etwa 2,6-mal den aktuellen jährlichen Wolframverbrauch der USA verbrauchen.
Wichtige Ergebnisse zeigen, dass ein ARIES-ST-Reaktor bei 500MWth 4.231 Tonnen Wolfram und bei 2.000MWth 29.034 Tonnen über 40 volle Betriebsjahre verbraucht. Der EU-DEM01-Reaktor benötigt 3.945 Tonnen bei 500MWth und 9.554 Tonnen bei 2.000MWth. Der aktuelle weltweite Verbrauch beträgt etwa 100.000 Tonnen jährlich.
- Study validates massive future demand growth for company's tungsten resources
- Fusion industry projected to require 100% of global tungsten production by 2056
- Single reactor needs 2.6x current annual US tungsten consumption
- Company positioned as potential leading US tungsten producer
- No current revenue or production
- Projected demand surge depends on successful fusion technology deployment
- Significant investment required across tungsten supply chain
Novel Paper Published on Tungsten Needs for Nuclear Fusion
Significant Future Tungsten Demand by Fusion Technology Confirmed
LONDON, UK / ACCESS Newswire / March 5, 2025 / Guardian Metal Resources plc (LON:GMET)(OTCQX:GMTLF), a strategic development and mineral exploration company focused on tungsten in Nevada, USA, is very pleased to announce the publication of a study titled 'Supply and Demand of Tungsten in a Fleet of Fusion Power Plants' in the Fusion Engineering and Design journal.
This study is the first scientific paper to directly quantify the amount of tungsten that is expected to be required in nuclear fusion technology in the context of a tungsten supply chain. The study predicts, in the scenarios analysed, if global tungsten production stays stagnant for the roll out of 500MWth and 2000MWth scale fusion reactors, the fusion industry will require
The study was co-funded partially by Guardian Metal with technical method and analysis conducted by the Company's partners Oxford Sigma Ltd ("Oxford Sigma"). Oxford Sigma is a Fusion Technology company with a vision to tackle energy security and climate change by accelerating the commercialisation of fusion energy. Their mission is to deliver materials technology, materials solutions, and fusion design services. Oxford Sigma aims to produce advanced materials technologies, agnostic to fusion approach, for the materials ecosystem. Their fusion core materials are engineered to enable longer term operations for fusion pilot plants, with the aim of roll out to the first-of-a-kind commercial power stations. Oxford Sigma is internationally recognised as a key fusion materials and technological leader.
Oliver Friesen, CEO of Guardian Metal, commented:
"The demand outlook for tungsten has significantly changed as of today and our investment case at Guardian Metal, as a leader in U.S.-focussed tungsten exploration and development, has grown much stronger. With billions of dollars being invested globally across the fusion space during just this year alone, we hope that the results of this study will serve as a wakeup call in regards to the supply chain implications - specifically for tungsten - posed by this ground breaking technology. Simply put, current global tungsten output is vastly insufficient to meet growing future demand from fusion technology and as a result, significant investment will be required across the entire tungsten supply chain.
We at Guardian Metal are delighted that tungsten availability will be a cornerstone consideration for this ground-breaking technology, and our goal is to be a western world producer of this critical metal for fusion and defence, as well as a wide array of other important industries that require this metal."
Study Highlights:
Tungsten is a leading candidate for both plasma facing and shielding in both spherical and D-shaped tokamaks, given its core properties including high melting point, high thermal conductivity, high neutron shielding and low sputtering yield (loss of material when hit with energetic particles).
To enable the widespread adoption of nuclear fusion power plants, a reliable tungsten supply chain is essential. The tungsten industry is required to grow by an order of magnitude or more under the role out of reactors assumptions in the study.
Two specific reactor designs were studied, the results of which have concluded that:
ARIES-ST reactor over 40fpy (full power-years) at 500MWth (megawatt thermal) consumed 4,231 tonnes of tungsten and 29,034 tonnes at 2,000MWth.
EU-DEM01 reactor over 40fpy at 500MWth consumed 3,945 tonnes of tungsten and 9,554 tonnes at 2,000MWth.
If the UK or US were to develop and operate fusion power fleets without domestic tungsten sources, their supply would likely fall drastically short of requirements for reactors alone, not counting existing essential industry and military uses, without heavy investment and expansion of mined tungsten capacity.
Given that current global consumption is approximately 100,000 tonnes per annum, the study models that global tungsten supply is a founding cornerstone issue for a future fleet of fusion power plants.
The full study can be found at:
E. Day-San, G.C. Blackett, M. Dornhofer, A.K. Manduku, M.D. Anderton, L. Tanure, T.P. Davis, 'Supply and demand of tungsten in a fleet of fusion power plants', Fusion Engineering and Design,
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fusengdes.2025.114881
Guardian Metal Resource has two leading advancing tungsten projects in the USA and has the objective to be the leading company to re-establish tungsten production in the USA. The Company also is acknowledged in the paper above as follows:
The authors would like to thank Guardian Metal Resources Plc for providing financial support for A. Manduku's internship during the summer of 2024. This internship was also supported by the UK Atomic Energy Authority's Fusion Industry Program (FIP) internship scheme and Oxford Sigma during 2024.
For further information visit www.Guardianmetalresources.com,oxfordsigma.com or contact the following:
Guardian Metal Resources plc | Tel:+44 (0) 20 7583 8304 |
Shard Capital Partners LLP | Tel: +44 (0) 20 7186 9000 |
Oxford Sigma Ltd | Tel +44 (0) 1865 509665 |
This information is provided by Reach, the non-regulatory press release distribution service of RNS, part of the London Stock Exchange. Terms and conditions relating to the use and distribution of this information may apply. For further information, please contact rns@lseg.com or visit www.rns.com.
SOURCE: Guardian Metal Resources PLC
View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire
FAQ
How much will tungsten demand increase for fusion reactors by 2056 according to the GMTLF study?
What is the tungsten consumption of a 2000MWth ARIES-ST fusion reactor according to GMTLF's research?
How many times does global tungsten production need to increase by 2100 based on GMTLF's study?
What is the current annual global tungsten consumption according to GMTLF's research?
How much tungsten does the EU-DEM01 reactor require at 2000MWth according to the GMTLF study?
