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Scheelite

A valid IMA mineral species - grandfathered
This page kindly sponsored by John Magnasco
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About ScheeliteHide

09865290017271926653280.png
Carl Wilhelm Scheele
Formula:
Ca(WO4)
Colour:
Tan, golden-yellow, colourless, white, greenish, dark brown, etc.; colourless in transmitted light
Lustre:
Adamantine, Vitreous
Hardness:
4½ - 5
Specific Gravity:
6.1
Crystal System:
Tetragonal
Member of:
Name:
Named in 1821 by Karl Caesar von Leonhard in honor of Carl Wilhelm Scheele [December 9, 1742, Stralsund, Pomerania, Sweden - May 21, 1786, Köping, Sweden], Swedish experimental chemist and commercial apothecary. His experimental work was monumental for the time period and he discovered chlorine and experimented with oxygen before Joseph Priestley recognized it as an element. He investigated many fundamentally important organic compounds. He proved the existence of tungstic oxide in the mineral now bearing his name in 1781.
Isostructural with:
Powellite-Scheelite Series.

A primary mineral commonly found as a component of contact-metamorphic tactite; in high-temperature hydrothermal veins and greisen; in granitic pegmatites and medium-temperature hydrothermal veins; in alluvial deposits.




Unique IdentifiersHide

Mindat ID:
3560
Long-form identifier:
mindat:1:1:3560:2

IMA Classification of ScheeliteHide

Approved, 'Grandfathered' (first described prior to 1959)
IMA Formula:
CaW6+O4

Classification of ScheeliteHide

7.GA.05

7 : SULFATES (selenates, tellurates, chromates, molybdates, wolframates)
G : Molybdates, Wolframates and Niobates
A : Without additional anions or H2O
48.1.2.1

48 : ANHYDROUS MOLYBDATES AND TUNGSTATES
1 : AXO4
27.4.2

27 : Sulphites, Chromates, Molybdates and Tungstates
4 : Tungstates

Mineral SymbolsHide

As of 2021 there are now IMA–CNMNC approved mineral symbols (abbreviations) for each mineral species, useful for tables and diagrams.

Please only use the official IMA–CNMNC symbol. Older variants are listed for historical use only.

SymbolSourceReference for Standard
SchIMA–CNMNCWarr, L.N. (2021). IMA–CNMNC approved mineral symbols. Mineralogical Magazine, 85(3), 291-320. doi:10.1180/mgm.2021.43
SchKretz (1983)Kretz, R. (1983) Symbols of rock-forming minerals. American Mineralogist, 68, 277–279.
SchWhitney & Evans (2010)Whitney, D.L. and Evans, B.W. (2010) Abbreviations for names of rock-forming minerals. American Mineralogist, 95, 185–187 doi:10.2138/am.2010.3371
SchThe Canadian Mineralogist (2019)The Canadian Mineralogist (2019) The Canadian Mineralogist list of symbols for rock- and ore-forming minerals (December 30, 2019). download

Physical Properties of ScheeliteHide

Adamantine, Vitreous
Transparency:
Transparent, Opaque
Colour:
Tan, golden-yellow, colourless, white, greenish, dark brown, etc.; colourless in transmitted light
Comment:
May be compositionally colour zoned.
Streak:
White
Hardness:
4½ - 5 on Mohs scale
Cleavage:
Distinct/Good
Distinct on {101}, interrupted on {112}, indistinct on {001}.
Fracture:
Irregular/Uneven, Sub-Conchoidal
Density:
6.1(2) g/cm3 (Measured)    6.09 g/cm3 (Calculated)

Optical Data of ScheeliteHide

Type:
Uniaxial (+)
RI values:
nω = 1.918 - 1.921 nε = 1.935 - 1.938
Max. Birefringence:
δ = 0.017
Based on recorded range of RI values above.

Interference Colours:
The colours simulate birefringence patterns seen in thin section under crossed polars. They do not take into account mineral colouration or opacity.

Michel-Levy Bar The default colours simulate the birefringence range for a 30 µm thin-section thickness. Adjust the slider to simulate a different thickness.

Grain Simulation You can rotate the grain simulation to show how this range might look as you rotated a sample under crossed polars. Each grain retains its interference colour (retardation) while its brightness falls to black at extinction and reaches a maximum between extinction positions.

Surface Relief:
Very High (positive)
Relative to Canada balsam mounting medium (n ≈ 1.537).

This shows the grain boundary and Becke line effect under plane-polarised light, based on the contrast between this mineral's average refractive index and the mounting medium. It does not take into account mineral colouration.
In focus
Interference Figure:
This shows the idealized uniaxial interference figure - the conoscopic (convergent-light, Bertrand-lens-in) view, for a grain cut with the optic axis centred and vertical. The coloured rings are isochromatics, computed with the same physics as the Michel-Lévy bar above; the dark cross is the isogyre.

For a genuinely uniaxial mineral viewed this way, that cross stays perfectly stationary if you rotate the stage - unlike a biaxial mineral, where it splits apart on rotation. That invariance is itself the standard diagnostic test for telling uniaxial and biaxial minerals apart at the microscope.
Comments:
May exhibit weak anomalous birefringence.

Chemistry of ScheeliteHide

Mindat Formula:
Ca(WO4)
Element Weights:
Element% weight
W63.852 %
O22.228 %
Ca13.920 %

Calculated from ideal end-member formula.
Common Impurities:
Mo,Nb,Ta

Crystallography of ScheeliteHide

Crystal System:
Tetragonal
Class (H-M):
4/m - Dipyramidal
Space Group:
I41/a
Cell Parameters:
a = 5.2429(3) Å, c = 11.3737(6) Å
Ratio:
a:c = 1 : 2.169
Unit Cell V:
312.64 ų (Calculated from Unit Cell)
Z:
4
Morphology:
Crystals commonly pseudo-octahedral {011} or {112} predominant, with modifying forms include {001} {013}, {121} and/or several additional; tabular on {001} at times; {001} commonly rough; {112} frequently diagonally striated, usually parallel to [311], the intersection with {121}. Usually granular, massive; also columnar.
Twinning:
On {110} common, penetration and contact twins with a composition plane of (110)or (001).
Comment:
On synthetic material.

Crystallographic forms of ScheeliteHide

Crystal Atlas:
Image Loading
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View 3D crystal model
Scheelite no.7 - {101} - Goldschmidt (1913-1926)
3d models and HTML5 code kindly provided by www.smorf.nl.

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Crystal StructureHide

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IDSpeciesReferenceLinkYearLocalityPressure (GPa)Temp (K)
0013202ScheeliteHazen R M, Finger L W, Mariathasan J W E (1985) High-pressure crystal chemistry of scheelite-type tungstates and molybdates Journal of Physics and Chemistry of Solids 46 253-26319850.0001293
0013201ScheeliteHazen R M, Finger L W, Mariathasan J W E (1985) High-pressure crystal chemistry of scheelite-type tungstates and molybdates Journal of Physics and Chemistry of Solids 46 253-26319850.0001293
0013203ScheeliteHazen R M, Finger L W, Mariathasan J W E (1985) High-pressure crystal chemistry of scheelite-type tungstates and molybdates Journal of Physics and Chemistry of Solids 46 253-26319851.03293
0013204ScheeliteHazen R M, Finger L W, Mariathasan J W E (1985) High-pressure crystal chemistry of scheelite-type tungstates and molybdates Journal of Physics and Chemistry of Solids 46 253-26319852.03293
0013205ScheeliteHazen R M, Finger L W, Mariathasan J W E (1985) High-pressure crystal chemistry of scheelite-type tungstates and molybdates Journal of Physics and Chemistry of Solids 46 253-26319853.12293
0013206ScheeliteHazen R M, Finger L W, Mariathasan J W E (1985) High-pressure crystal chemistry of scheelite-type tungstates and molybdates Journal of Physics and Chemistry of Solids 46 253-26319854.09293
CIF Raw Data - click here to close

Epitaxial Relationships of ScheeliteHide

Epitaxial Minerals:
Epitaxy Comments:
Scheelite on wolframite, with scheelite {001} [110] parallel to wolframite {010} [001].

Discrete crystals of fluorite on the (111) face of scheelite from the Tae Hwa mine, Korea (So et al. 1983).

X-Ray Powder DiffractionHide

Loading XRD data...
Data Set:
Data courtesy of RRUFF project at University of Arizona, used with permission.
Powder Diffraction Data:
d-spacingIntensity
4.76 Å(55)
3.10 Å(100)
3.072 Å(30)
2.622 Å(25)
2.296 Å(20)
1.928 Å(30)
1.592 Å(30)

Geological EnvironmentHide

Paragenetic Mode(s):
Paragenetic ModeEarliest Age (Ga)
Near-surface Processes
26 : Hadean detrital minerals
High-? alteration and/or metamorphism
31 : Thermally altered carbonate, phosphate, and iron formations
Stage 4b: Highly evolved igneous rocks>3.0
34 : Complex granite pegmatites
Geological Setting:
Contact metamorphic tactites, high-temperature hydrothermal veins, greisens, and granitic pegmatites; alluvial deposits.

Type Occurrence of ScheeliteHide

Synonyms of ScheeliteHide

Other Language Names for ScheeliteHide

Varieties of ScheeliteHide

Copper-bearing ScheeliteA Cu-bearing variety of scheelite (possibly mixture with cuprotungstite).

Originally reported from La Paz, Mun. de La Paz, Baja California Sur, Mexico.
MolybdoscheeliteA molybdenum-bearing variety of scheelite

Relationship of Scheelite to other SpeciesHide

Member of:
Other Members of Scheelite Group:
Babunaite-(Nd)NdAsO4Tet. 4/m : I41/a
PowelliteCa(MoO4)Tet. 4/m : I41/a
RonpetersoniteBaWO4Tet. 4/m : I41/a
StolzitePb(WO4)Tet. 4/m : I41/a
WulfenitePb(MoO4)Tet. 4/m : I41/a

Common AssociatesHide

Associations Based on Photo Data:
1,300 photos of Scheelite associated with QuartzSiO2
816 photos of Scheelite associated with MuscoviteKAl2(AlSi3O10)(OH)2
369 photos of Scheelite associated with CalciteCaCO3
341 photos of Scheelite associated with FluoriteCaF2
179 photos of Scheelite associated with PyriteFeS2
165 photos of Scheelite associated with DolomiteCaMg(CO3)2
153 photos of Scheelite associated with FerberiteFeWO4
140 photos of Scheelite associated with ChalcopyriteCuFeS2
114 photos of Scheelite associated with CassiteriteSnO2
108 photos of Scheelite associated with 'Aquamarine'

Related Minerals - Strunz-mindat GroupingHide

7.GA.YunhaoiteK2(MoO4)Mon. 2/m : B2/m
7.GA.05RonpetersoniteBaWO4Tet. 4/m : I41/a
7.GA.05Fergusonite-(Ce)CeNbO4 · 0.3H2OTet.
7.GA.05'Fergusonite-(Nd)'NdNbO4
7.GA.05Fergusonite-(Y)YNbO4Tet. 4/m : I41/a
7.GA.05PowelliteCa(MoO4)Tet. 4/m : I41/a
7.GA.05StolzitePb(WO4)Tet. 4/m : I41/a
7.GA.05SuseinargiuiteNaBi(MoO4)2Tet. 4/m : I41/a
7.GA.05WulfenitePb(MoO4)Tet. 4/m : I41/a
7.GA.10Formanite-(Y)YTaO4Tet. 4/m : I41/a
7.GA.10Iwashiroite-(Y)Y(Ta,Nb)O4Mon. 2/m : P2/b
7.GA.15Paraniite-(Y)Ca2Y(AsO4)(WO4)2Tet. 4/m : I41/a
7.GA.20Takanawaite-(Y)YTaO4Mon. 2/m

Fluorescence of ScheeliteHide

Inherently brightly fluorescent (SW UV & X-rays). Pure end-member material ubiquitously fluoresces bright blue-white (SW UV), but even a small amount of Mo substituting for W produces a creamy yellow fluorescence (SW UV), becoming more yellow with increasing % of Mo. A moderate Fe content can quench the fluorescence. It usually has no response to LW UV but some specimens will fluoresce pink to this band.

Other InformationHide

Thermal Behaviour:
Thermoluminescent.
Notes:
Decomposed by HCl or HNO3, leaving a yellow powder of hydrous tungstic oxide, which is soluble in ammonia.

Alters to Tungstite, Hydrotungstite, or Cuprotungstite.

Replaced by Wolframite as perfect pseudomorphs. Often replaces Wolframite.
Pseudomorphs of Quartz, Kaolinite, and Bismutite after Scheelite have been noted.
Health Risks:
No information on health risks for this material has been entered into the database. You should always treat mineral specimens with care.
Industrial Uses:
Ore of tungsten

Scheelite in petrologyHide

An essential component of rock names highlighted in red, an accessory component in rock names highlighted in green.

Internet Links for ScheeliteHide

References for ScheeliteHide

Reference List:

Localities for ScheeliteHide

Showing 6,101 localities.

This map shows a selection of localities that have latitude and longitude coordinates recorded. Click on the symbol to view information about a locality. The symbol next to localities in the list can be used to jump to that position on the map.
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