Scheelite is the second principal tungsten ore (after wolframite) and the source of some of China's most spectacular gem crystals. Pingwu and Xuebaoding in Sichuan have produced gem-orange scheelites that rank among the world's finest.
Key Facts
- Mohs hardness 4.5 – same as wolframite, but lighter (SG 5.9 vs 7.2).
- Strongly fluoresces blue-white under shortwave UV – a signature field test.
- Tetragonal pyramids look pseudo-octahedral; often mistaken at a glance.
- Sichuan produces the world's benchmark gem-orange scheelite crystals.
- Named for K.W. Scheele, who first described tungsten in this mineral (1781).
The Chinese Angle
Pingwu County and the Xuebaoding deposit in Sichuan produce gem-orange scheelite crystals (often 3-10 cm) on muscovite-quartz matrix, frequently associated with cassiterite and pink beryl. These have been the international reference for collector-grade scheelite for two decades.
Found at these Localities
- Panasqueira (帕纳斯凯拉钨矿)
- Pingwu Mine (平武矿)
- Xuebaoding Mine (雪宝顶)
- Sichuan (四川)
Available Products of Scheelite
10 available specimens
Yellow Scheelite Crystal – Octahedral – Xuebaoding, Sichuan
Orange-Yellow Scheelite Octahedron – Xuebaoding, Sichuan
Golden Pyramidal Scheelite Crystal, Xuebaoding Mountain, Sichuan,…
Scheelite Crystal – Octahedral Form – Xuebaoding Mountain, Sichua…
Orange Scheelite Crystal Cluster – Xuebaoding, Sichuan
Orange Scheelite Octahedron with Mica – Xuebaoding, Sichuan
Scheelite on Mica Matrix, Xuebaoding, Sichuan, China
Scheelite Crystal on Mica Matrix – Sichuan, China
Scheelite Twinned Octahedral Crystals on Matrix
Scheelite Crystal, Xuebaoding Mountain, Sichuan
