The Sangdong mine located in South Korea is one of the largest tungsten mines in the world.
Sangdong Mine was a main business station for tungsten concentrate production of Korea Tungsten Mining Co. (KTMC). The scale and quality of Sangdong tungsten and molybdenum production) drove South Korean economic development after the Korean War.
A decade after the closure of the KTMC in 1994, mining rights to the Sangdong mine were acquired by Woulfe Mining Corporation through Sewoo Mining Corporation in 2006. In 2015, Almonty Industries acquired Woulfe Mining Corporation and established Almonty Korea Tungsten Corporation (formerly Sangdong Mining Corporation), which operates as a subsidiary of Almonty Industries.
History In 1916, tungsten was discovered in Sangdong. In the 1960s, the Sangdong mine accounted for 70% of South Korea's export earnings. In 1994, the mine closed amidst cheaper supplies from China. The mine was relaunched in 2026 amidst concerns overreliance on China.
1916–1994 Apr.1916Discover outcrop of Sangdong mine by Mr Sunwon Hwang.1930Application of “Sublevel Stopping” mining method.Feb.1934Acquisition by Japanese Solim Mining Corporation.Oct.1946Company name changed from Solim Tungsten Mining Company to Joseon Tungsten Mining Company.Jan.1947Statement “Korean tungsten quality is the standard in global market” announced by USA national assay office. Feb.1947Sangdong tungsten scheelite was exported to the US for the first time. Apr.1947Statement “Sangdong Mine, producing monthly 100M/T of high quality tungsten concentrate with over 60% grade” announced by Minister Archer L. Lerch of USA military government. Oct.1949Company name changed from Joseon Tungsten Mining Company to Korea Tungsten Mining Company.Mar.1952Korea-USA Tungsten Trade Agreement. Sep1952Official launching of Korea Tungsten Mining Co., Ltd.Mar.1954Expiration of “Korea-USA Tungsten Agreement” and no extension due to a tungsten glut and price decline in the market. Jun.1956Tunneling of the 1st Incline from Sangdong galleryMay.1959Completion of chemical processing plant constructionJun.1959Mining footwall of Sangdong gallery / Ventilation tunneling of Taebaek gallery. Dec.1960Completion of industrial water piping work from village (Chilyangee) stream. Sep.1961Construction of Metal Bismuth smelting factory.Feb.1962Completion of concentrate storage construction. Sep.1963Install 100HP pump and pump room for flooding prevention on Level – 6.Feb.1965Production of Metal Bismuth. Aug.1965Tunneling of Baekun haulage gallery. Dec.1965Tunneling of Taebaek galleryApr.1966Beginning of sand filling construction test (Apr.~Dec.)May.1966Verification of Top Slicing mine method and adoptionSep.1967Vertical shaft construction groundbreakingOct.1968Tunneling of Level 11Dec.1969Beginning of re-mining from Level 1 and 10 / Tunneling of Level 12May.1970Tunneling of Cross on Level 10Aug.1970Construction of the 2nd processing plant (70ton/day)Sep.1970Sangdong Mine flood damage by localized torrential downpourDec.1970Re-mining from Level 2 and 3 / Chute installation on Level 6,7,8,9,10May.1971Chute installation from Sangdong gallery to Baekgun galleryDec.1971Tunneling of Sangdong inclined ventilation galleryOct.1972Replacement of wooden support by concrete support in gallery. Dec.1972APT plant completion (3ton/day)Apr.1973Closing of the 3rd Incline. May.1973Beginning of the 1st tailing dam constructionAug.1975Tunneling of Cross on Level 16Feb.1978Tunneling of Cross on Level 15Jul.1979The 1st tailing dam flood damage by localized torrential downpourNov.1979Re-mining from Jangsan galleryApr.1980Apply “Large hole burn cut method” as Sangdong blasting process. Aug.1982Completion of the 2nd tailing storageFeb.1992Company name changed from “Korea Tungsten Mining Corporation” to Korea Tungsten Corporation".Feb.1994Sangdong Mine closed
2001–2015 Jun.2001Sangdong mining concession registered by Sewoo Mining Corp.Jan.2007Sangdong mining concession transferred to Orient Hard Metals Holdings Korea Corp.Mar.2010Company name “Orient Hard Metals Holdings Korea Corp.” changed to Sangdong Mining Corp.Sep.2015Woulfe Mining Corp. (100% parent company of Sangdong Mining Corp.) acquired by Almonty Industries Inc.
Geology In the perspective of regional geology, the Korean Peninsula is on the eastern margins of the North China-Korea platform underlaid by three blocks of Archean age; the Nangrim-Pyeongnam Block, the Gyeonggi and Yeongnam Massifs which are separated by the northeast–southwest direction Imjingang and the Okcheon belts of Phanerozoic age. The Sangdong mine is situated in the northeast part of the Okcheon Belt.
The lithology of Sangdong can be divided into three main zones such as the Pungcheon Formation of The Great Limestone, the Myobong Formation and the Jangsan Quartize from the upper and the lower in the cross-sectional diagram. The Sangdong Mine contains a skarn-type deposit with altered horizons of the Cambrian-age Myobong Formation. The metamorphosed strata include a biotite granite unit located at a depth of 700m which was intersected during exploratory drilling at 700m below. There is the Jangsan quartzite unit in the lower most area underneath the Myobong unit. The Great Limestone unit completes the series of altered horizons overlying the Myobong Formation. There are certain terms on the horizons such as the Hanging Wall, Main, and Footwall horizons based on its geological features from the uppermost to lowermost regions. The mineralised zone strikes east–west direction and dips to the north at between 15° and 30° with extensions of 1.3 km and 1.5 km.
References
External links
Almonty Industries Official Website EDISON Investment Research Report – Almonty IntelRadio with Ellis Martin - Almonty Industries’ Lewis Black on being the leaders in tungsten