Hematite
Species
Common · Fe₂O₃
Iron oxide responsible for the red colouration of soils and sedimentary rocks worldwide. The primary ore of iron. Its red streak is diagnostic even in dark metallic specimens that show no surface redness.
Identity
- Formula
- Fe₂O₃
- Chemical class
- Oxide
- Also known as
- Specularite (micaceous variety), Kidney ore (botryoidal variety), Red ochre (earthy variety)
- Ore of
- Iron
Crystallography
- Crystal system
- Trigonal
- Habits
- Tabular, Massive, Botryoidal, Earthy
- Fracture
- Subconchoidal
Physical properties
- Mohs hardness
- 6
- Density
- 5.26 g/cm³
- Luster
- Metallic, Earthy
- Colors
- silver gray, iron-black, red, reddish brown
- Streak
- red to reddish brown
- Transparency
- Opaque
Geology
- Origins
- Sedimentary, Hydrothermal, Metamorphic
- Host rocks
- Granite, Limestone and chalk, Sandstone, shale and clay
- Associated minerals
- Magnetite, Goethite, Siderite, Ilmenite, Rutile
- Found in
- Banded iron formation, Bauxite, Conglomerate, Ironstone, Jasper, Laterite, Quartzite, Banded iron formation deposit, Ironstone beds, Lateritic deposit, Placer deposit, Skarn, Volcanogenic massive sulfide deposit
- Geography
- Brazil (Minas Gerais), Switzerland (Alps), Italy (Elba), England (Cumbria), South Africa, USA
Classification
- Rarity
- Common
- Gem quality
- No
Sources
- M. Pasero and others, IMA Commission on New Minerals, Nomenclature and Classification, The New IMA List of Minerals, updated September 2026. International Mineralogical Association (CNMNC), 2026.
- Hematite. Mindat.org (Hudson Institute of Mineralogy).
- J. W. Anthony, R. A. Bideaux, K. W. Bladh, M. C. Nichols, Hematite. Mineral Data Publishing, Handbook of Mineralogy, 2001.
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