Scheelit

Scheelit is not a recognized mineral name in standard mineralogical references. The term may be a misspelling or variant of scheelite, the calcium tungstate mineral that serves as a principal ore of tungsten.

Scheelite (CaWO4) crystallizes in the tetragonal system and commonly occurs as transparent to pale-colored prismatic or tabular crystals, or in massive forms. It has a Mohs hardness of about 4.5 to 5 and a high specific gravity around 6. The mineral is typically colorless, white, or pale yellow to brown, with a vitreous luster. A distinctive property is its bright blue fluorescence under short-wave ultraviolet light, which aids in identification in hand specimens and ores.

Scheelite forms in hydrothermal vein systems and contact metamorphic skarns, and it is often found in association with wolframite, bismuth minerals, cassiterite, and other tungsten-bearing phases. Notable deposits occur in several tungsten-producing regions worldwide, with China being among the most significant producers, along with occurrences in North America and Europe.

Economically, scheelite is valued as a source of tungsten, which is extracted to produce tungsten carbide and other alloys used in cutting tools, electrical and electronic applications, and specialty metals. The mineral name scheelite honors the Swedish chemist Carl Wilhelm Scheele. While the term scheelit may appear in some contexts, the widely accepted mineral name for this tungsten-bearing compound is scheelite.