Our first pick
EISCO specular hematite specimen, about 3 cm
See price on Amazon
A natural piece of glittering specular hematite from a science supplier.
See it on AmazonHematite · Iron oxide · 5.5 to 6.5
Hematite
Updated
Hematite is iron oxide, the world’s main iron ore and the red in red ochre, one of the oldest pigments people have used. Polished, it is a heavy, mirror-bright grey-black, but rub it on unglazed tile and it leaves a red-brown streak, which is where its name, from the Greek for blood, comes from. Much of the “hematite” in cheap jewellery is not natural: strongly magnetic beads are a man-made material sometimes sold as hematine, and golden or rainbow hematite gets its colour from a thin coating. That gold fades: it wears off with use and the grey-black stone shows through.
From the ground to your hand
From the rock to the finished piece. Where gems are mined.
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01 In the ground (step 1 of 4)
Black botryoidal hematite: rounded, bubbly masses that miners call kidney ore.
Real specimen. Photo: James St. John, CC BY 2.0.
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02 Crystals (step 2 of 4)
Specular hematite, made of tiny flat crystals that glitter like mirrors.
Real specimen. Photo: Lloyd.james0615, CC BY 3.0.
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03 Polished (step 3 of 4)
Tumbled natural hematite from Brazil, polished to a metallic shine.
Amazon listing photo. See it on Amazon
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04 Coated (step 4 of 4)
Golden hematite beads. The gold is a coating on the surface, and it fades with wear.
Amazon listing photo. See it on Amazon
- Mineral
- Iron oxide, Fe₂O₃
- Hardness
- 5.5 to 6.5
- Streak
- Red to red-brown
- Magnetic?
- Only weakly; strong magnets are man-made
- Uses
- Iron ore, red ochre pigment, jewellery
Natural hematite vs magnetic “hematite” vs golden hematite
| Natural hematite | Magnetic “hematite” (hematine) | Golden or rainbow hematite | |
|---|---|---|---|
| What it is | Iron oxide from the ground | A man-made material that looks like hematite | Hematite or hematine beads with a metal-coloured coating |
| Magnetic | Only weakly | Strongly: beads snap together | Depends on the bead underneath |
| Colour | Grey-black and metallic; red-brown when powdered | Grey-black and metallic | Gold, rose or rainbow, on the surface only |
| What wears out | Can scratch and chip | Can scratch and chip | The coating, at the edges first |
| Does the colour fade? | No: it is grey-black all the way through | No | Yes: the gold wears off with use |
| Typical price | A few dollars for tumbled stones | Very cheap | Very cheap |
Treatments. Natural hematite is cut and polished, not dyed. Coloured hematite is coated: gold, rose-gold and rainbow beads all owe their colour to a thin film on the surface. If a listing calls beads “magnetic hematite”, they are man-made. All gem treatments explained.
Where does natural hematite come from?
Pins mark mining districts, not exact mines. Drag to move, pinch or scroll to zoom, tap a pin to read about it. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.
List of every place on the map (4)
- Hematite: Ngwenya (Lion Cavern), Eswatini. Often called the oldest known mine in the world: people dug specular hematite here tens of thousands of years ago. Position approximate.
- Hematite: Iron Quadrangle, Minas Gerais, Brazil. One of the world's great iron ore regions, and a source of tumbled hematite. Position approximate.
- Hematite: Pilbara, Western Australia, Australia. Huge hematite iron ore deposits of the Hamersley Range. Position approximate.
- Hematite: Egremont, Cumbria, England. Classic source of kidney ore, rounded masses of hematite. Position approximate.
Which hematite should you buy?
Listing photos; prices are rounded. How we choose.
Amazon prices as of . Prices and availability are accurate as of that date and time and are subject to change; the price shown on Amazon at the time of purchase applies.
Also good
Tumbled natural hematite from Brazil, 1 lb
See price on Amazon
A pound of polished natural hematite, enough to sort, display or try the streak test.
See it on AmazonAlso good
Amazing Gemstone golden hematite bead bracelet, 8 mm
See price on Amazon
The gold look for very little money, but the gold is a coating and it fades with wear. For gold that lasts, see pyrite.
See it on AmazonHematite specimens: still in the rock
From our specimen hall.
Hematite specimens to own
Sold as natural by the listing; listing photos.
Hematite stores worth browsing on Amazon
Brand stores whose hematite pieces we have checked, with one of their listings as an example. Browse the whole store: anything you buy through these links supports the site.
The hematite shop: 2 more pieces we trust
Every piece names the real stone. Listing photos; prices are rounded.
Your kit for hematite
LookGemOro 10x triplet loupeabout $15
LookDARKBEAM filtered 365 nm UV flashlightabout $13
HandleHonoson locking tweezers, 3 packabout $10
StoreTeensery gem display boxes with clear lids, 10 packabout $9
MeasureGemOro Platinum XP500 pocket scale, 0.01 gabout $40In short
Hematite is iron oxide, the main iron ore, and it leaves a blood-red streak. Strongly magnetic beads are man-made, and golden hematite is coated, so its gold fades.
See our first pick: EISCO specular hematite specimen, about 3 cmFrequently Asked Questions
Does golden hematite fade?
Yes. Natural hematite is grey-black; it never comes out of the ground gold. The gold colour is a thin coating on the bead, so it wears at the edges and where beads rub together, the same way plating does, and the grey-black stone shows through. Keep it away from water, perfume and rough surfaces to make it last. If you want a gold colour that cannot rub off, pyrite is gold-coloured all the way through.
How can I tell real hematite?
Two checks. Rub it on the unglazed back of a tile: real hematite leaves a red-brown streak. And try a magnet: natural hematite is only weakly magnetic, so beads that snap together hard are man-made. Coated beads cannot be streak-tested without scratching through the coating.
Is hematite good for jewellery?
Yes, as beads and . It is heavy, takes a mirror polish and costs very little. It is brittle, so a hard knock can chip a bead. Keep coated hematite away from water and chemicals.
Sources
- Mindat: Hematite (Fe₂O₃, hardness 5.5 to 6.5, red-brown streak)
- Handbook of Mineralogy: Hematite
- Wikipedia: Hematite (name, ochre, weak magnetism, man-made magnetic hematite)
- Wikipedia: Lion Cavern (ancient hematite mine, Eswatini)
Photo credits
- hematite-botryoidal-black.webp: James St. John, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
- hematite-specular.webp: Lloyd.james0615, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
- Product photos: Amazon listings, via the Amazon Product Advertising (Creators) API.
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