Scheelite identification and geology

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Sources, scope & corrections

These authoritative resources support category-level nomenclature, terminology, identification methods, and safety. When a specimen-specific safety warning appears, the public-health source listed here directly supports that precaution. They are not line-by-line citations for every other property on this entry, and natural specimens vary.

Editorial owner

GeoMiner

Last updated

2026-03-30T14:37:34.189504+00:00

Review status

Published; not independently peer-reviewed

• IMA–CNMNC List of Mineral Names — International Mineralogical Association. Official mineral-name, nomenclature, and classification records.
• Mineral ID Key — Mineralogical Society of America. Physical-property identification methods, repeat-testing guidance, and limitations.

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Common questions

What is Scheelite?

Calcium tungstate and important ore of tungsten. Fluoresces bright blue-white under shortwave UV light.

How can you identify Scheelite?

Compare several properties rather than relying on colour alone. This entry records colour: White, yellow, orange, brown; lustre: Vitreous to adamantine; streak: White; Mohs hardness: 4.5-5; cleavage: Good in two directions; crystal system: Tetragonal; transparency: Transparent to translucent. Confirm an important identification with additional field tests or qualified laboratory work.

How does Scheelite form?

Forms in contact metamorphic zones skarns and hydrothermal veins associated with granites.

Where is Scheelite commonly found?

China, Russia, South Korea, USA; found in skarns and hydrothermal veins.

What is Scheelite commonly confused with?

Scheelite may be confused with Wolframite, Barite, Titanite. Compare multiple diagnostic properties because colour and surface appearance can overlap.