The salt consists of tetrahedrally coordinated Li and W centres bridged by oxides.

[1] The solid undergoes phase transitions at high pressures, such that the coordination geometry at tungsten becomes octahedral (six W-O bonds).

[2] Lithium tungstate is used to produce high density aqueous polytungstate (metatungstate) solutions.

[3] This use of lithium and sodium tungstate anions was developed in the 1980s and early 1990s to address toxicity and safety issues with the existing organic high density fluids.

Unlike methylene iodide and bromoform, polytungstates and heteropolytungstates can be more safely be used in an indoor environment without a fume hood with only ordinary common sense safety precautions such as protective gloves and safety glasses.