Wolframite

Wolframite is the principal ore of tungsten and a defining mineral of the Yaogangxian and Xianghualing tungsten-tin districts. Black, dense, and bladed, it is the metallic counterpoint to the brilliant fluorite for which these mines are now better known.

Key Facts

• Mohs hardness 4.5 – heavy and brittle.
• Specific gravity 7.2 – heaviest common mineral most collectors will encounter.
• Series between iron-rich (ferberite) and manganese-rich (hubnerite) end-members.
• Tungsten is named "wolfram" in Latinate languages – hence the symbol W.
• Hunan supplies a major share of global tungsten production.

Notable Varieties

• Ferberite (Fe-rich end-member)
• Hubnerite (Mn-rich end-member)

The Chinese Angle

Yaogangxian and Xianghualing in Hunan are world-class wolframite localities. Specimen-grade crystals reach 5-15 cm and are often associated with quartz, fluorite, and arsenopyrite. Hunan wolframite is the global benchmark for matrix-paired collector specimens.