History · Geology
About Panasqueira
The Panasqueira mine in central Portugal is one of Europe’s largest tungsten producers and a world-class collector locality for wolframite (ferberite), fluorapatite, arsenopyrite, and a remarkable pegmatitic-quartz vein paragenesis. Mining has continued essentially uninterrupted since 1896.
Geology
The deposit is a system of subhorizontal Sn-W-bearing quartz veins cutting Hercynian phyllites and granitoids. The veins formed at moderate temperatures from late granitic fluids and produced exceptional miarolitic cavity development.
Notable Minerals
Wolframite/ferberite (sharp lustrous tabular crystals to 20+ cm — Europe’s premier source), fluorapatite (purple, blue, green hexagonal crystals — gem grade), arsenopyrite (lustrous wedge-shaped crystals), cassiterite, scheelite, quartz, calcite, muscovite, pyrite, siderite, sphalerite. Often beautifully combined.
Collector Notes
Panasqueira wolframite + apatite combos are the European W-mineral collector’s staple. Pair with Yaogangxian (Hunan) for the world’s premier W collector tour.
Minerals Produced Here
- Agate (玛瑙)
- Amethyst (紫水晶)
- Arsenopyrite (毒砂矿)
- Calcite (方解石)
- Cassiterite (锡石)
- Chalcedony (玉髓)
- Citrine (黄水晶)
- Ferberite (钨铁矿)
- Fluorapatite (氟磷灰石)
- Jasper (碧玉)
- Muscovite (白云母)
- Pyrite (黄铁矿)
- Quartz (石英 / 水晶)
- Rose Quartz (玫瑰石英)
- Scheelite (白钨矿)
- Siderite (菱铁矿)
- Sphalerite (闪锌矿)
- Wolframite (黑钨矿)
