Rainbow Hematite

Object/Artifact

-

Crater Rock Museum

Hematite

Hematite

Name/Title

Rainbow Hematite

Entry/Object ID

2004.1.80

Description

Chemical Composition: Fe2O3, Iron Oxide Crystal System: Tetragonal System Description: Common Name: Hematite Group Name: Oxides Chemistry: Fe2O3, Iron Oxide Location: Cumbria, England, United kingdom Description: Black and rainbowcolored Looks like gun metal. PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS: Color is steel or silver gray to black in some forms and red to brown in earthy forms. Sometimes tarnished with iridescent colors when in a hydrated form (called Turgite). Luster is metallic or dull in earthy and oolitic forms. Transparency: Crystals are opaque. Crystal System is trigonal; bar 3 2/m Crystal Habits include tabular crystals of varying thickness sometimes twinned, micaceous (specular), botryoidal and massive. also earthy or oolitic. Cleavage is absent. However, there is a parting on two planes. Fracture is uneven. Hardness is 5 - 6 Specific Gravity is 5.3 (slightly above average for metallic minerals) Streak is blood red to brownish red for earthy forms. Associated Minerals include jasper (a variety of quartz) in banded iron formations (BIF or Tiger Iron), dipyramidal quartz, rutile, and pyrite among others. . Best Field Indicators are crystal habit, streak and hardness Fracture: uneven Hardness: 5 Apatite Luster: Metallic Occurrence: Notable Occurrences especially nice specimens come from England, Mexico, Brazil, Australia and the Lake Superior region Rock Type: Sedimentary Specific Gravity: 5.3 Streak: brown Variety: Hematite has several varieties, each with their own unique names. Hematite Rose is a circular arrangment of bladed crystals giving the appearance of the flower of a rose. Tiger Iron is a sedimentary deposit of approximately 2.2 billion years old that consists of alternating layers of silver gray hematite and red jasper, chert or even tiger eye quartz. Kidney Ore is the massive botryoidal form and gives the appearance of lumpy kidney-like masses. Oolitic Hematite is a sedimentary formation that has a reddish brown color and an earthy luster and is composed of small rounded grains. Specularite is a micaceous or flaky stone that is sparkling silver gray and sometimes used as an ornamental stone.

Collection

Suomynona Mineral Collection

Acquisition

Accession

2004.1

Source or Donor

Suomynona Mineral Collection

Acquisition Method

Donation

Dimensions

Width

1-3/4 in

Depth

3 in

Length

7-3/4 in

Dimension Notes

Dimension taken at widest points

Location

Location

* Untyped Location

RD-7

Category

Permanent

Moved By

Curtis Gardner

Date

May 25, 2023

Notes

Added current location

Location

Drawer

NW corner

Shelf

top, top

Wall

South Center

Hallway

Discovery Hall

Building

Crater Rock Museum

Category

Permanent

Moved By

Scott Longan

Date

August 26, 2009

Location

Cabinet

Case #56

Wall

Center

Building

Freida Smith Hall

Category

Permanent