Tungsten carbide buttons are widely applied in geological prospecting, coal mining and oil well boring. Because of its wear resistance and hardness (9.8 Moe's scale), tungsten carbide is ideally suited for wear parts, other machine parts and dies which are subject to severe service conditions, such as high temperatures, corrosion and abrasion. In recent years, tungsten carbide has emerged as a superior alternative to steel in many industrial applications.