Wolframite is a dense, heavy mineral that serves as the primary ore for tungsten. It is typically found as dark, submetallic, bladed crystals in quartz veins associated with granitic igneous rocks.
Is this wolframite?
5-step field checkRun through these checks against the specimen in your hand. The more boxes tick, the more confident the ID.
- 1Test the hardnessTry to scratch wolframite with a known reference. Wolframite sits at Mohs 4-4.5 — softer than the next harder reference, harder than the previous one.
- 2Check the streakDrag the specimen across an unglazed porcelain plate. Wolframite leaves a dark brown to black streak.
- 3Read the lusterHold the specimen under a strong light. Wolframite typically shows a submetallic to metallic luster.
- 4Match the color rangeCompare against the expected color range: brown, black, reddish-brown.
- 5Look at form & habitCrystal system: monoclinic. Typical habit: prismatic, tabular, bladed.
Often confused with
Wolframite vs. its common look-alikes — and how to tell them apart in the field.
How to tell apart: Columbium Ore is the harder of the two (Mohs 6 vs. 4-4.5); streak differs — Wolframite leaves dark brown to black, Columbium Ore leaves dark red to black; luster reads submetallic to metallic on Wolframite and submetallic on Columbium Ore.
How to tell apart: Streak differs — Wolframite leaves dark brown to black, Iron Ore leaves reddish-brown to black; luster reads submetallic to metallic on Wolframite and metallic to submetallic on Iron Ore.
How to tell apart: Cassiterite is the harder of the two (Mohs 6-7 vs. 4-4.5); streak differs — Wolframite leaves dark brown to black, Cassiterite leaves white; luster reads submetallic to metallic on Wolframite and adamantine on Cassiterite.
Often found alongside wolframite
Minerals reported to co-occur with wolframite. Spotting these in float or country rock is a strong cue you are in the right ground.
All properties
- Chemical formula
- (Fe,Mn)WO₄
- Mohs hardness
- 4-4.5
- Density
- 7.0-7.5 g/cm³
- Colors
- Streak
- Dark Brown to Black
- Luster
- Submetallic to Metallic
- Transparency
- Opaque
- Crystal system
- Monoclinic
- Crystal habit
- Prismatic, Tabular, Bladed
- Cleavage
- Perfect in One Direction
- Rarity
- Uncommon
- Uses
- Collector, Ore Source For Tungsten
- Host rock
- Hydrothermal Veins, Granite Pegmatites
- Typical price
- $15-150 thumbnail, $200-800 cabinet
Where rockhounds find wolframite
5 mapped spotsClassic worldwide localities
- China
- Portugal
- Bolivia
- Russia
- USA
Field-hunting tip
Look in hydrothermal veins, granite pegmatites country — that is the host setting where wolframite typically forms. If you start seeing quartz, cassiterite, molybdenite in float, you are in the right ground. Field specimens usually show a prismatic, tabular, bladed habit, so train your eye for that shape before scanning the outcrop. In the U.S., the densest reported localities are in Connecticut, New Mexico, South Dakota — start trip planning there.
Common questions
How do you identify wolframite?+
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Find wolframite on the map
RockHoundR shows mapped rockhounding spots, access rules, and lets you log every find.
