Ferberita
Ferberita is a mineral with formula FeWO₄, in the Wolframatos group. This specimen comes from Panasqueira / Barroca Grande, Aldeia de S. Francisco, Covilhã, Castelo Branco, Portugal.
Description
Large small-cabinet ferberite with well-crystallised striated faces topped by lenticular siderite.
About Ferberita
As the iron-dominant end-member FeWO₄ of the wolframite series—which terminates at manganese-dominant hübnerite MnWO₄—ferberite stands as the chief ore of tungsten. Its historical name, wolfram, stems from Saxon miners who noted how it "devoured" tin during smelting. Isolated by the Elhuyar brothers in 1783 (symbol W), the metal gained the English name tungsten from the Swedish for "heavy stone." Its unparalleled melting point made it an indispensable strategic asset throughout the 20th century, particularly in World War II armor and armor-piercing rounds.
About the locality
Barroca Grande belongs to the Panasqueira mining field, a classic Portuguese tungsten and tin district.
Technical data
- Catalogue No.
- 0655
- Composition
- FeWO₄
- Name
- Ferberita
- Group
- Wolframatos
- Category
- Meritum Persé
- Associations
- siderita
- Mine
- Panasqueira / Barroca Grande
- District / Municipality
- Aldeia de S. Francisco
- Province
- Covilhã
- Region
- Castelo Branco
- Country
- Portugal
- Size (cm)
- 4 x 3 x 2.5
- Weight
- 198 g
- Ex-collection
- José Ramon Garcia
- Etymology
- The name honours Moritz Rudolph Ferber, a German student of tungsten minerals.
- Quality
- Notable
- Value trend
- Estable
Related specimens
- Pirolusita — Portugal
- Autunita — Portugal
- Libethenita — Portugal
- Autunita (Verde) — Portugal
- Autunita — Portugal
- Autunita — Portugal
- Furcalita — Portugal
- Meta-autunita (Primaria) — Portugal