Tungsten (NWT) | The Canadian Encyclopedia

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Tungsten (NWT)

Tungsten, NWT, was a settlement located in the Selwyn Mountains, near the NWT and Yukon border.

Tungsten, NWT, was a settlement located in the Selwyn Mountains, near the NWT and Yukon border. The only access to Tungsten is a road from Watson Lake, YT. The name comes from 2 Swedish words meaning "heavy" and "stone." It was the site of Canada's largest tungsten-producing mine. The plant was built in 1960 but had to be rebuilt after a fire destroyed it a year later. The mine's operations are dependent on the price of its product. It suspended operations in 1963, 1983 and finally in 1986 when the community was deserted. The mine reopened for a short period of time from March 2002 to December 2003.