Wolframite

Wolframite, (Fe,Mn)WO4, is an iron

manganese tungstate mineral that is the
intermediate between ferberite (Fe2+ rich)
and hübnerite (Mn2+ rich). Along with
scheelite, the wolframite series are the
most important tungsten ore minerals.
Wolframite is found in quartz veins and
pegmatites associated with granitic
intrusives. Associated minerals include
cassiterite, scheelite, bismuth, quartz,
pyrite, galena, sphalerite, and arsenopyrite.
 Wolframite

General

Category Oxide minerals

Formula (Fe,Mn)WO4
(repeating unit)

Crystal system Monoclinic

Crystal class Prismatic (2/m)

(same H-M symbol)

Space group P2/c

Unit cell a = 4.77 Å, b = 5.73 Å

c = 4.98 Å; β = 90.2°;
Z = 2
 Identification

Color Grayish to brownish

black

Crystal habit Tabular to short

prismatic crystals

Cleavage Perfect 010

Fracture Uneven to rough

Mohs scale hardness 4-4.5

Luster Submetallic to resinous

Streak Reddish brown

Diaphaneity Opaque

Specific gravity 7 - 7.5

Pleochroism None

Fusibility 3 - 4 to magnetic
globule

Solubility insoluble
References [1][2][3]

This mineral was historically found in

Europe in Bohemia, Saxony, and Cornwall.
China reportedly has the world's largest
supply of tungsten ore with about 60%.
Other producers are Canada, Portugal,
Russia, Australia, Thailand, South Korea,
Rwanda, Bolivia, the United States, and the
Democratic Republic of the Congo.[4]

Name
The name "wolframite" is derived from
German "wolf rahm", the name given to
tungsten by Johan Gottschalk Wallerius in
1747. This, in turn, derives from "Lupi
spuma", the name Georg Agricola used for
the element in 1546, which translates into
English as "wolf's froth" or "cream". The
etymology is not entirely certain but
seems to be a reference to the large
amounts of tin consumed by the mineral
during its extraction, the phenomenon
literally being likened to a wolf eating a
sheep.[5] Wolfram is the basis for the
chemical symbol W for tungsten as a
chemical element.

Use
Extraction of tungsten from wolframite ore

Wolframite was highly valued as the main

source of the metal tungsten, a strong and
quite dense material with a high melting
temperature used for electric filaments
and armor-piercing ammunition, as well as
hard tungsten carbide machine tools. In
World War II, wolframite mines were a
strategic asset, due to its use in munitions
and tools.[6]
Wolframite was considered to be a conflict
mineral due to the unethical mining
practices observed in the Democratic
Republic of the Congo, during the Congo
Wars.[7]

See also
List of minerals

References

Look up wolframite in Wiktionary, the

free dictionary.

1. Barthelmy, Dave. "Wolframite Mineral

Data" . webmineral.com.
2. "Wolframite: Wolframite mineral
information and data" . www.mindat.org.
3. Klein, Cornelis and Cornelius S. Hurlbut,
Jr., Manual of Mineralogy, Wiley, 20th ed.
1985, pp. 355-356 ISBN 0-471-80580-7
4. "Clean them up" . The Economist. 19
August 2010.
5. van der Krogt, Peter. "Wolframium
Wolfram Tungsten" . Elementymology &
Elements Multidict. Retrieved 2010-03-11.
6. "Nazi Gold: Spain and Portugal" . 2011-
08-19. Archived from the original on 2017-
11-11. Retrieved 2017-11-11.
7. "Clean them up: Congo's conflict
minerals" . The Economist. 396 (8696): 41.
21 August 2010. Retrieved 24 August 2010.

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