The Tungsten Market Is Warning of an Upcoming War
Summary
Hosts Joe Weisenthal and Tracy Alloway discuss tungsten’s strategic importance with Bloomberg’s David Fickling, who reports on a restarting mine in Tasmania. They explore how tungsten serves as a "prediction market" for war due to its military uses, while noting China’s dominance and the lack of a futures market. The conversation highlights the economic challenges of diversifying supply away from China amid rising geopolitical tensions.
Topics discussed
Sponsors: Interactive Brokers, 4imprint, and Optum
The Tungsten Cube craze and its connection to war
Interview with David Fickling on tungsten's military history
Tungsten's industrial uses and the Dolphin mine in Australia
China's dominance and the lack of a tungsten futures market
Geopolitical risks, export controls, and price volatility
Sponsors: IBM and Wise
Critical minerals, asteroid mining, and substitution risks
Conclusion: Supply chain resilience and show credits
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