Wolframite
Mineral (Fe,Mn)WO4
About it
The collector’s name for black, very heavy tungstate blades in the range between iron-rich ferberite and manganese-rich hübnerite. Fine crystals come from Panasqueira in Portugal and Yaogangxian in China.
- Type
- Mineral
- Group
- Tungstate, wolframite series
- Formula
- (Fe,Mn)WO4
- Hardness (Mohs)
- 4–4.5
- Specific gravity
- 7–7.5
- Streak
- reddish brown to brownish black
- Lustre
- submetallic, adamantine (diamond-like), resinous
- Crystal system
- Monoclinic
- Colours
- black, brownish black, dark brown, dark reddish brown
- Transparency
- opaque, translucent
- Cleavage and fracture
- perfect in one direction; uneven fracture
- Magnetic
- Weakly
Typical values: real specimens vary. For more, see mindat.org.