Comparison
Tungsten vs depleted uranium
This comparison comes up constantly, and the answer surprises people: tungsten wins. Tungsten is 19.3 grams per cubic centimetre and uranium is about 19.1.
Depleted uranium has a reputation for extreme density because of where it is used, not because it is the densest option available.
- 19.3
- Tungsten g/cm³
- 19.1
- Depleted uranium g/cm³
- 1.0%
- Tungsten is denser — a near tie
Cube weight, tungsten vs depleted uranium
| Cube size | Tungsten | Depleted uranium | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1″ | 316 g | 313 g | +3 g |
| 1.5″ | 1.07 kg | 1.06 kg | +11 g |
| 2″ | 2.53 kg | 2.50 kg | +26 g |
| 3″ | 8.54 kg | 8.45 kg | +88 g |
Why DU is used at all
Depleted uranium is a byproduct of enrichment, which means it is effectively free to whoever already runs an enrichment programme, and it has a metallurgical property tungsten lacks: it is pyrophoric and self-sharpening under impact.
For armour penetrators that behaviour matters more than the marginal density difference. For an object on a desk it is irrelevant, and the drawbacks are considerable.
The drawbacks
Depleted uranium is radioactive. The activity is low and dominated by alpha emission that skin stops, but it is not zero, and uranium is also a heavy-metal chemical toxin independent of its radioactivity.
Possession is regulated in most jurisdictions. Tungsten is unregulated, stable, non-radioactive and not considered toxic in solid metallic form.
The straightforward answer
If you want the densest metal you can legally and safely own, it is tungsten. Uranium is not denser, and every other property of the comparison runs against it.
Common questions
Is tungsten denser than depleted uranium?
Marginally, yes. Tungsten is 19.3 g/cm³ and uranium is about 19.1 g/cm³. The common assumption that DU is denser is wrong.
Why is depleted uranium used in armour penetrators if tungsten is denser?
Because DU is pyrophoric and self-sharpening under impact, which tungsten is not, and because it is a nearly free byproduct of enrichment for states that already enrich uranium. Density is not the deciding factor.
Is a tungsten cube radioactive?
No. Tungsten is not radioactive and, in solid metallic form, is not considered toxic. It needs no special handling or storage.
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