What is Wolframite?
Wolframite is the iron-manganese tungstate series that includes ferberite and hübnerite, a dense dark ore mineral and an important source of tungsten.
Mineralogy and structure
Reference formula: (Fe,Mn)WO4. Wolframite is a compositional series rather than one fixed end member. COD 1568792 is a labelled ferberite-rich representative model; existing Ferberite and Hübnerite pages remain the specific end-member references. Wolframite is classified with tungstates and has monoclinic crystal symmetry. Typical hardness is 4–4.5 on the Mohs scale and specific gravity is approximately 7.1–7.6.
Colour, lustre and habit
Typical colours include black, brown-black, brown, grey. The usual bladed, prismatic, granular habit and sub-metallic, resinous, dull lustre help describe a specimen, but colour alone is not diagnostic.
Formation and notable localities
Wolframite forms in or is associated with granitic pegmatites, greisens, hydrothermal quartz veins and tungsten-bearing ore systems. Important documented localities include China, Portugal, Bolivia, Rwanda, Spain, the United States, Russia and the United Kingdom.
The dark tungsten ore with a useful family map
Wolframite is commercially and scientifically important: sharp black blades on quartz combine collector appeal with the story of tungsten resources. The group page links its iron- and manganese-rich members.
Collecting and care
Very dense and ore-bearing: protect from impact, avoid dust-producing work and preserve locality, matrix and treatment information.
