tungstate mineral

Written by

The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Last updated

July 14, 2026

Quick Summary

Tungstate minerals are inorganic compounds that are salts of tungstic acid. The primary structural unit is a tetrahedral group of four oxygen atoms surrounding a tungsten atom. These minerals are often valuable ores, with scheelite being a significant tungsten ore. Wolframite, a mixture of iron and manganese tungstates, is perhaps the most important ore of tungsten.1

Wolframite, the chief ore of tungsten, is commonly found with tin ore. It is composed of iron tungstate (FeWO₄) and manganese tungstate (MnWO₄). Varieties are named ferberite (iron-dominant) and hübnerite (manganese-dominant). Wolframite has a brown to black color, a submetallic to metallic luster, and a perfect cleavage. Its hardness is 5–5.5 on the Mohs scale.2

Tungsten itself is a strong, refractory metal known for its high melting point and hardness, making it useful in steels, lamp filaments, and cutting tools.3

Summary created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

4 Britannica Sources

Ask Britannica AI about this topic

Britannica doesn't have a full article on this topic, so we've curated a list of our relevant coverage.

molybdate and tungstate minerals
tungstate minerals, naturally occurring inorganic compounds that are salts of molybdic acid, H₂MoO₄, and tungstic acid, H₂WO₄. Minerals in these groups often are valuable ores.
Read More
tungstate minerals, naturally occurring inorganic compounds that are salts of molybdic acid, H₂MoO₄, and tungstic acid, H₂WO₄. Minerals in these groups often are valuable ores.
Read More