Scheelite is CaWO₄ and one of the principal tungsten minerals. High density and fluorescence under UV in many specimens can aid identification, but ore texture is the key processing input.
- Formula / structure
- CaWO₄
- Ore role
- Principal tungsten ore mineral
- Preparation focus
- Manage density contrast and liberation together
What is Scheelite and how does it occur in ore?
Scheelite can occur in skarns, veins and granite-related systems with quartz, calcite, garnet, pyroxene and sulfides. Gangue density and grain size influence the applicability of gravity separation.
Why do scheelite and wolframite not behave identically?
Both are major tungsten minerals, but they differ in composition, magnetic behaviour and surface properties. Ore mineralogy determines which physical separation stages may be useful.
Which behaviour matters during ore preparation?
In hard-rock ore, grinding should be limited to the liberation needed from gangue. Very fine scheelite becomes harder to handle by gravity methods and can increase reliance on flotation.
Size-by-size tungsten analysis shows whether valuable mineral is concentrated in coarse or fine fractions and helps determine whether regrinding is actually necessary.
Which inputs should be verified?
- Scheelite-to-wolframite ratio
- Gangue mineralogy and density
- Liberation size
- Tungsten distribution by size fraction
- Fine scheelite losses