Hematite
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Hematite

A sample of hematite may look like little more than a dark gray blob. That might seem impossible to identify but with a streak test, you can easily identify it! To tell if it is hematite, just rub the mineral against a white streak plate and it will form a small amount of red powder!

The largest amounts of hematite are found in sedimentary rocks that formed from weathering iron-rich minerals. In these sedimentary deposits, hematite is thought to have precipitated from lakes or seas by organic and/or chemical processes. The hematite often occurs with intermixed layers of quartz or chert.

Hematite is an important ore of iron. It is also used as a pigment in paint and in polishing compounds. It is made into a variety of handcrafted objects such as beads and jewelry.

  • Shape: Trigonal (commonly occurs as tabular crystals)
  • Luster: Metallic to sub-metalic to dull
  • Color: Reddish-brown, gray to black
  • Streak: Red
  • Hardness: 5.5 to 6.5 on Mohs Hardness Scale
  • Cleavage: None
  • Fracture: Conchoidal

Last modified April 25, 2003 by Lisa Gardiner.

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