Hematite (Iron Rose)
Image: <a href="//commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Archaeodontosaurus" title="User:Archaeodontosaurus">Didier Descouens</a> (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Mineral NameHematite (Iron Rose)
Chemical FormulaFe2O3
Mohs Hardness5.5
Crystal Systemtrigonal
Lustermetallic
Streak Colorreddish-brown
Cleavagenone
Fractureuneven
Specific Gravity5.26
Colorssilvery-gray, dark gray, black
Transparencyopaque
Type LocalityMiguel Burnier (São Julião), Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais, Southeast Region, Brazil
Mineral GroupOxides
Usesiron ore, pigment, jewelry, collector
Associated Mineralsquartz, magnetite, goethite
Rarityuncommon
Description
This specimen showcases hematite in its distinctive 'iron rose' habit, featuring a cluster of intergrown, tabular, silvery-gray to dark gray crystals arranged in a beautiful rosette-like pattern with a metallic luster.
Geological Context
Hematite 'iron roses' typically form in alpine-type fissures within metamorphic rocks, often associated with hydrothermal activity where iron-rich fluids deposit the mineral in characteristic platy aggregates. Hematite is also a primary ore of iron found in various geological settings.
