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wolframite
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wolframite

mineral
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History

wolframite, chief ore of tungsten, commonly associated with tin ore in and around granite. Such occurrences include Cornwall, Eng.; northwestern Spain and northern Portugal; eastern Germany; Myanmar (Burma); the Malay Peninsula; and Australia.

Wolframite consists of a mixture in varying proportions of the tungstates of iron and manganese, FeWO4 and MnWO4; varieties with dominant iron (Fe:Mn⋜4:1) are called ferberite, and those with dominant manganese (Mn:Fe⋜4:1) are called hübnerite. Wolframite’s colour is brown to black, and it has a submetallic to metallic lustre and a perfect cleavage. The Mohs hardness is 5–5 1/2; specific gravity, 7–7.5; and crystal system, monoclinic.