Geochemical Processes in Tungsten Mineralization
Summary
Tungsten mineralization is governed by a complex interplay of magmatic differentiation, fluid exsolution and host-rock interaction. Primary ore phases such as scheelite (CaWO4) and wolframite ((Fe,Mn)WO4) crystallise from high-temperature hydrothermal fluids exsolved during the terminal stages of granitoid intrusion. Ligands such as fluoride and carbonate stabilise tungsten complexes in solution, while variations in temperature, pH and redox conditions control metal transport and deposition. Structural conduits and reactive lithologies localise fluid flow, producing alteration assemblages such as skarns and greisens that sequester tungsten. Oscillatory vein textures and disseminated mineralisation reflect episodic fluid pulses driven by thermal and pressure fluctuations. Geochemical proxies—including trace-element signatures, stable isotopes and fluid-inclusion compositions—enable reconstruction of fluid evolution from metal-rich exsolution to mixing with metamorphic or meteoric waters. Integrating petrogenetic models and tectonic setting is essential for targeting critical tungsten resources used in hard-metal tools, sustainable energy technologies and strategic stockpiles.
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Geochemical Processes in Tungsten Mineralization publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in geochemical processes in tungsten mineralization across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Hydrothermal fluid: A hot, aqueous solution rich in dissolved metals and volatiles that transports ore components through the crust.
Greisen: A strongly altered granite zone composed mainly of quartz and mica, typically enriched in rare metals such as tungsten and tin.
Skarn: A metasomatic rock formed by interaction between magmatic fluids and carbonate host rocks, often hosting tungsten and other metal ores.
Fluid inclusion: A microscopic pocket of fluid trapped within a mineral during crystallisation, preserving information on composition, temperature and pressure.
LA-ICP-MS: Laser-ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry, an in situ microanalytical technique for measuring element and isotope concentrations.
Redox conditions: The oxidation–reduction environment that influences the speciation and solubility of metals in hydrothermal systems.
References
- A Non-Matrix-Matched Calibration Method for In Situ Major and Trace Element Analysis of Scheelite by Nanosecond LA-ICP-MS. Molecules (2023).
- Genetic relationship between greisenization and Sn–W mineralization in vein and greisen deposits: Insights from the Panasqueira deposit (Portugal). BSGF – Earth Sciences Bulletin (2021).
- Crystals from the Powellite-Scheelite Series at the Nanoscale: A Case Study from the Zhibula Cu Skarn, Gangdese Belt, Tibet. Minerals (2019).
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