scheelite

[ shey-lahyt, shee- ]

noun

, Mineralogy.

1. calcium tungstate, CaWO 4 , usually occurring in tetragonal crystals: an important ore of tungsten.

scheelite

/ ˈʃiːlaɪt /

noun

1. a white, brownish, or greenish mineral, usually fluorescent, consisting of calcium tungstate in tetragonal crystalline form with some tungsten often replaced by molybdenum: occurs principally in contact metamorphic rocks and quartz veins, and is an important source of tungsten and purified calcium tungstate. Formula: CaWO 4

Word History and Origins

Origin of scheelite¹

1830–40; < German Scheelit, named after K. W. Scheele, who first isolated tungstic acid; -ite ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of scheelite¹

C19: from German Scheelit, named after Karl Wilhelm Scheele (1742–86), Swedish chemist

Example Sentences

Tungsten, tung′sten, n. a rare metal, chiefly derived from wolfram, which is a tungstate of iron and manganese, and likewise found in scheelite, which is a tungstate of lime.—n.

From Project Gutenberg

Not only the Paymaster with its tons of mined ore, but the ten claims to the north, all showing good scheelite, which Death Valley Charley had located–he had held them down as well.

From Project Gutenberg

In these occurrences the tungsten mineral is almost invariably scheelite, and is associated with calcite, garnet, pyroxene, and other silicates.

From Project Gutenberg

He had known it contained scheelite the moment he picked up that white rock that Virginia had placed in her collection, but naturally he had not announced it from the house-tops.

From Project Gutenberg