RESERVED FOR MEREDITH **122g Wolframite Specimen 1A from Wolfram Camp

* RESERVED FOR MEREDITH *

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This material is Wolframite and was sourced from Wolfram Camp, in the early 1980’s. This piece weighs 122g and measures 4.5cm x 3.5cm x 3cm.

The name "Wolframite” is derived from German "wolf rahm", the name given to Tungsten by Johan Gottschalk Wallerius 1747. Wolframite is a mineral primarily composed of Iron and Manganese and Tungstate and is a key ore of Tungsten.

The name itself has interesting origins that no one is clear on. My two favorite theories are that the name may refer to the large amounts of tin consumed by the mineral during extraction, which was similar to a wolf eating a sheep. Or the name may also come from the alchemists' terms for Antimony, which were lupus and wolf.

The original town of Wolfram, located approximately 1 km west of the Wolfram Camp deposit was surveyed by the Queensland Mines Department around the time of WWI. The town itself is no longer and all buildings have been destroyed. The Wolframite from Wolfram Camp tends towards the more Iron rich variety known as Ferberite, as opposed to the more Manganese rich Huebnerite. \n\nWolfram Camp is located approximately 21 km north west of Dimbulah and was an important Tungsten and Molybdenum producing mining camp. First worked from 1894 for Wolframite, Bismuth and Molybdenite with the main focus on Wolframite. Near surface alluvial and detrital deposits were the main ore source up until these were exhausted around 1906. Lumps of Wolframite are know to have reached over 1 metre in diameter and Molybdenite lumps to half a metre in diameter.

The main production periods were 1908 to 1920; 1967 to 1972 and 1978 to 1982. All that remains are the buildings of the latest mining companies of Wolfram Camp that have worked the area in the 2000s until the mine operations ceased in since 2018.

Wolframite is highly valued as the main source of the metal Tungsten, a strong and very dense material with a high melting temperature used for electric filaments and armour piercing ammunition as well as hard Tungsten Carbide machine tools. During World War II Wolframite mines were a strategic asset, due to its use in munitions and tools.

With the highest melting point and tensile strength of all pure metals, Tungsten is essential in various battery technologies and energy storage systems. Its unique properties make it irreplaceable in applications like solar cells, wind turbine blades, microelectronics, tools, construction, defence, and medical technologies.

Global demand for critical minerals like tungsten will continue to increase as more countries work towards a net zero future.

Wolframite, with its robust and heavy presence, is known to be a stone of tenacity and resilience, aligning closely with the root chakra to enhance one's sense of grounding and stability. This crystal supports our strength of will and determination, making it a powerful ally during challenging times. Wolframite deepens one's connection to the Earth, providing a strong foundation for physical and emotional endurance.