Mineral Guide · Mineral

Hübnerite

Hübnerite is the manganese-rich end-member of the wolframite series, a dense tungsten mineral from granite-related hydrothermal veins.

Interactive 3D structure

Crystal structure

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Mineral properties

Formula: MnWO₄
Class: Oxides
Crystal system: Monoclinic
Typical colours: black, brown-black, reddish-brown
Lustre: Resinous, Sub-metallic
Hardness: 4.00-4.50
Specific gravity: 7.10-7.50
Crystal habit: Granular, Prismatic, Tabular
Origin: quartz veins, greisens and granite-related tungsten deposits

Related varieties

Wolframite

What is Hübnerite?

Hübnerite is the manganese-rich end-member of the wolframite series, a dense tungsten mineral from granite-related hydrothermal veins.

Mineralogy and structure

Reference formula: MnWO₄. Hübnerite has the monoclinic wolframite structure and forms a series with ferberite. Natural wolframite commonly lies between these end-members, so composition and locality matter. Hübnerite belongs to the oxides and has a monoclinic crystal system. Typical hardness is 4–4.5 on the Mohs scale and specific gravity is approximately 7.1–7.5.

Colour and appearance

Typical colours include reddish-brown, brown-black, black. The usual tabular, prismatic, granular habit and resinous, sub-metallic lustre are useful descriptive features, but colour alone is not diagnostic.

Formation and localities

Hübnerite forms in or is associated with quartz veins, greisens and granite-related tungsten deposits. Important documented localities include Bolivia, Peru, China, Portugal, the United States and Germany.

Collecting and care

Very dense and brittle at edges; preserve labels and avoid cutting unknown tungsten ore.

Sources and editorial review

Reviewed by NotOnlyRocks Editorial Team

Last reviewed: 31 August 2026

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