This chart ranks the ten metals with the highest melting points, measured in degrees Celsius. Tungsten leads by a wide margin, which is why it is used for the filaments in incandescent light bulbs and other extreme-heat applications.

About: Metals With the Highest Melting Points

Overview of the data behind this chart

AI Insight

Tungsten tops the list at 3,414 C, the highest melting point of any metal, more than 200 degrees above second-placed rhenium (3,186 C). This exceptional heat resistance explains tungsten's use in lamp filaments, rocket nozzles and cutting tools. Osmium (3,033 C) and tantalum (3,017 C) form a close third and fourth, followed by molybdenum at 2,623 C. Every entry on this list is a refractory transition metal, and all melt above 2,150 C, far hotter than everyday metals like iron (1,538 C) or aluminium (660 C). The values decline steadily from tungsten down to technetium (2,157 C), but even the lowest here would remain solid in temperatures that vaporise most common materials.

Data source: Royal Society of Chemistry

Key Findings

Auto-computed highlights from this dataset

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Tungsten leads with 3,414 in All Time.

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Average value in All Time: 2,692 · median: 2,550.

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Gap in All Time: Tungsten is 1.6× larger than Technetium.

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Additional Data

Metals With the Highest Melting Points

Data Insights Below

Data Insights

Numbers, trends & sources behind this chart

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Data Points

10 categories · 1 year

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Top Value

3,414

Tungsten

Melting Point (Celsius) · All Time

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Metrics

Melting Point (Celsius)

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Period

All Time

Single year snapshot

Category Rankings

Melting Point (Celsius) · All Time

#	Category	All Time
🥇	Tungsten	3,414
🥈	Rhenium	3,186
🥉	Osmium	3,033
4	Tantalum	3,017
5	Molybdenum	2,623
6	Niobium	2,477
7	Iridium	2,446
8	Ruthenium	2,334
9	Hafnium	2,233
10	Technetium	2,157

Statistical Summary — Melting Point (Celsius) · All Time

3,414

Maximum

2,157

Minimum

2,692

Average

2,550

Median

What This Data Shows

Auto-generated trend summaries per category

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Tungsten

Recorded 3,414 Melting Point (Celsius) in All Time.

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Rhenium

Recorded 3,186 Melting Point (Celsius) in All Time.

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Osmium

Recorded 3,033 Melting Point (Celsius) in All Time.

Source

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Tantalum

Recorded 3,017 Melting Point (Celsius) in All Time.

Source

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Molybdenum

Recorded 2,623 Melting Point (Celsius) in All Time.

Source

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Niobium

Recorded 2,477 Melting Point (Celsius) in All Time.

Source

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Iridium

Recorded 2,446 Melting Point (Celsius) in All Time.

Source

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Ruthenium

Recorded 2,334 Melting Point (Celsius) in All Time.

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Hafnium

Recorded 2,233 Melting Point (Celsius) in All Time.

Source

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Technetium

Recorded 2,157 Melting Point (Celsius) in All Time.

Source

Full Data Table

10 records across 1 year

10 sourced

Category	Metric	All Time
Tungsten	Melting Point (Celsius)	3,414
Rhenium	Melting Point (Celsius)	3,186
Osmium	Melting Point (Celsius)	3,033
Tantalum	Melting Point (Celsius)	3,017
Molybdenum	Melting Point (Celsius)	2,623
Niobium	Melting Point (Celsius)	2,477
Iridium	Melting Point (Celsius)	2,446
Ruthenium	Melting Point (Celsius)	2,334
Hafnium	Melting Point (Celsius)	2,233
Technetium	Melting Point (Celsius)	2,157