难熔金属类的金属，是非常耐热和耐磨性。表达主要是用在材料科学、和冶金工程。这些元素的有些不同。最常见的定义方式包括五个元素：两个第五周期元素（铌、钼）和三个第六周期元素（钽、钨、铼）。他们都有一些共同性质，包括熔点超过2000 °C以上，在室温下具很高的硬度。它们的化学性质惰性，不易与其他元素反应，有一个相对高的密度。他们的高熔点使粉末冶金方法制造的首选。他们的一些应用包括金属工具，在高温工作、丝纤维、铸造模具的，或在腐蚀性环境中的化学反应器。部分是由于熔点高，难熔金属稳定对蠕变变形需要非常高的温度。

Refractory metals are a class of metals that are extraordinarily resistant to heat and wear. The expression is mostly used in the context of materials science, metallurgy and engineering. The definition of which elements belong to this group differs. The most common definition includes five elements: two of the fifth period (niobium and molybdenum) and three of the sixth period (tantalum, tungsten, and rhenium). They all share some properties, including a melting point above 2000 °C and high hardness at room temperature. They are chemically inert and have a relatively high density. Their high melting points make powder metallurgy the method of choice for fabricating components from these metals. Some of their applications include tools to work metals at high temperatures, wire filaments, casting molds, and chemical reaction vessels in corrosive environments. Partly due to the high melting point, refractory metals are stable against creep deformation to very high temperatures.