In chemistry a
tungstate is a compound that contains an
oxoanion of
tungsten or is a
mixed oxide containing tungsten. The simplest tungstate
ion is WO
42-, "orthotungstate". Many other tungstates belong to a large group of polyatomic ions that are termed
polyoxometalates, ("POMs"), and specifically termed isopolyoxometalates as they contain, along with oxygen and maybe hydrogen, only one other element. Almost all useful tungsten ores are tungstates.