mineral
Goethite
Goethite (FeO(OH))
AI-generated identification · may be incorrectHardness 5 to 5.5 on the Mohs scale, dark brown to black color, adamantine to dull luster, and high specific gravity around 4.3.
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Physical properties
Hardness 5 to 5.5 on the Mohs scale, dark brown to black color, adamantine to dull luster, and high specific gravity around 4.3.
Formation & geological history
Forms as a weathering product of other iron-rich minerals in oxidizing sedimentary environments and hydrothermal veins.
Uses & applications
Used as an iron ore, a natural pigment (ochre), and collected as mineral specimens.
Geological facts
Named after the German poet and polymath Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, who was an avid mineralogist.
Field identification & locations
Identify by its characteristic yellowish-brown streak, botryoidal habit, and fibrous or scale-like internal structure. Common worldwide.
