mineral
Hematite
Iron(III) oxide (Fe2O3)
Hardness: 5.5-6.5 on Mohs scale. Color: Steel gray, reddish-brown, or black. Luster: Metallic to submetallic or earthy. Crystal structure: Trigonal. Streak: Red to reddish-brown. Specific gravity: 5.26.
- Hardness
- 5
- Color
- Steel gray, reddish-brown, or black
- Luster
- Metallic to submetallic or earthy
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Physical properties
Hardness: 5.5-6.5 on Mohs scale. Color: Steel gray, reddish-brown, or black. Luster: Metallic to submetallic or earthy. Crystal structure: Trigonal. Streak: Red to reddish-brown. Specific gravity: 5.26.
Formation & geological history
Forms in diverse environments including hydrothermal veins, sedimentary deposits (banded iron formations), and as a weathering product of other iron-rich minerals. Geological age ranges from Precambrian to modern formations.
Uses & applications
Primary ore of iron used in steel production, pigments, polishing compounds (jeweler's rouge), and carved into beads or jewelry.
Geological facts
Hematite is the most important ore of iron on Earth and has also been discovered on Mars by spacecraft, which gives the planet its distinctive reddish hue.
Field identification & locations
Easily identified in the field by its characteristic reddish-brown streak when scratched across an unglazed porcelain plate, despite its metallic gray surface color.
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