Wolfeite may be an intermediate between minerals such as hornblende which contains iron at a positive two state and higher oxidized phosphates such as purpurite . Wolfeite, whose name could easily be confused with both wolframite and wulfenite is a nice rare mineral with a rather high luster and interesting color that any collector would love to own. Color is reddish to dark brown. Luster is vitreous to adamantine or even greasy. Transparency crystals are rarely transparent, but more commonly translucent.
Cleavage is absent.
Fracture is uneven. Streak is white. Crystals are striated vertically. Associated Minerals include quartz , feldspars , purpurite , hureaulite , dicksonite and other phosphates found in altered granite pegmatites. Notable Occurrences include Custer Co., South Dakota and Palermo Mine, New Hampshire, USA and Bavaria, Germany.