What is hematite and its properties?
Hematite is a widespread iron mineral and one of the most important iron ores. Translated from Greek, the word “hematite” means “blood red.” The color of hematite is black to dark steel. Semi-metallic luster. Opaque. The color of the trait is characteristic cherry red. Processed hematite is similar to morion, black flint, jet, obsidian, from which it differs in its strong metallic luster, high density (much heavier than similar minerals), and its characteristic distinguishing feature is the red color of the line. Solid but fragile. In order to distinguish hematite from a fake or other stone, you need to press it over unglazed porcelain or earthenware, and the hematite will leave a red mark. Hematite is common in the solar system Not only on the ground. For example, the red sands of Mars (also consisting of iron oxide) have shown, according to research results, to be magnetic (say, in contrast to the red earth rocks on our planet). In nature, hematite is a widespread mineral, often forming large clusters and ore deposits. Throughout human history, many cultures have used hematite powder as a dye. For example, cave paintings of animals, hunters and various symbols in caves in Cantabria and Asturias (Spain) were painted with red paint made from hematite. Specularite, a mica-like variety of hematite, has such a bright metallic luster that some ancient civilizations, such as the Aztecs, used the stone as a mirror. North American Indian tribes used fine hematite powder as a red pigment for body paints. In Ancient Egypt, earthy hematite was used in painting, and crystals and dense aggregates of this mineral were used to make amulets and jewelry. Pliny the Elder in his “Natural History” attributed a number of healing properties to hematite: the stone allegedly miraculously helps against redness of the eyes, stops bleeding, and is taken with wine to treat snake bites. Pliny also mentioned the ideas of Middle Eastern mystics about its magical properties. Thus, its possession reveals the insidious plans of enemies, and the Babylonian Zahalia, in his book on the influence of stones on the destinies of people, attributed to this mineral the ability to give success to petitions to the king and court cases, and also recommended rubbing it before battle. Christian peoples also endowed hematite with special properties. For early Christians, this mineral represents the blood shed by Jesus Christ for the salvation of mankind. Cast iron is smelted from hematite ores. Hematite is used in tempera painting as a mineral pigment, in the production of oilcloth, linoleum, red pencils, artistic fonts, and durable colored enamels. As an ornamental stone, it has been used since ancient times to this day for the manufacture of inexpensive polished inserts and small carved items, as a material in glyptics. Due to its ability to color water dark red, hematite is popularly nicknamed Bloodstone. Hematite, or, as it is often called, bloodstone, has a positive effect on the circulatory system, normalizes blood pressure, increases resistance to stress, and stimulates sexual energy. It treats diseases of the liver, kidneys, spleen and pancreas. Hematite can help with urinary and hormonal disorders and sexually transmitted diseases.
In eastern lithotherapy, hematite is used in the treatment of abscesses, as well as in the fight against blockage of blood vessels. To do this, it is placed on the area of organs with poor blood circulation. Hematite cures anemia, normalizes blood chemistry and improves immunity. Normalizes blood pressure and eliminates arrhythmia.
In ancient medicine, hematite and jewelry made from it were actively used as a hemostatic agent, for wounds, inflammation, and also for outbursts of anger. Powders made from hematite were used to treat weakened vision.
In ancient Rome, wealthy pregnant women were given hematite beads to help reduce uterine bleeding during childbirth.
During treatment, it is recommended to wear hematite jewelry (beads, rings, rings, earrings, bracelets), as well as perform Chinese massage with hematite balls.
It is not recommended to use hematite for medicinal purposes with high blood pressure. Hematite is a symbol of courage and wisdom.
Since ancient times, it was believed that it gives strength and invulnerability in battle, helps maintain optimism, courage and will.
Hematite is a talisman for men, especially for warriors. In ancient times, pieces of hematite were sewn into clothes, hung around the neck or hidden in shoes. For those leaving for war, they made a protective spell on this stone so that it would help them return home safe and sound.
Roman legionnaires, going on campaigns of conquest, always took with them a hematite product as an amulet, most often it was an idol figurine.
In Rus’ there was a belief that if you hang a piece of hematite over the cradle, the child will rarely fall and hurt himself until he bleeds.
Hematite improves energy, strengthens the physical and etheric body. It is believed that it relieves its owner from attacks of anger and rash actions, and gives a feeling of confidence and security. This stone helps to accumulate and use energy the way the owner wants it. Hematite allows a person to influence other people with his aura.
In ancient times, hematite was valued as a powerful magical amulet.
In Europe, he was considered a talisman of warlocks, who drew symbolic signs and magic circles for them, capable of defeating evil spirits and protecting them from attacks from space.
In Ancient Egypt, the priestesses of the goddess Isis, to protect themselves and the goddess from dark forces, wore hematite jewelry during rituals. It was also revered as a magical talisman in Ancient Greece.
In the Middle Ages, hematite was an indispensable attribute of magicians, sorcerers and alchemists. With its help, they protected themselves from evil spirits, summoned elemental spirits, and communicated with the souls of the dead. Hematite protects against the evil eye, damage and evil witchcraft. Gives a person the gift of clairvoyance. Dante, writing The Divine Comedy, announced to the reader: a person who wants to become invisible must hide behind gray clothes and discreet jewelry stones – like hematite. According to popular custom, artistic exaggeration was taken literally – and for seven hundred years now, sorcerers and magicians, going to travel through the world of spirits, hide from annoying attention by wearing hematite necklaces and bracelets. Civilians can also benefit from the magic of hematite – but both men and women must follow a special procedure for using the stone. Men should wear hematite jewelry on the right side of the body; Women prefer hematite asymmetry with an emphasis on the left side. This is the only way the stone can benefit its owner. Talismans and amulets: Hematite for men can improve attention and memory, strengthen the willpower and attractiveness of its owner. Hematite for women helps to establish friendships and love relationships. As a talisman, the mineral is suitable for philosophers, students, businessmen and managers. Due to its versatility, hematite is suitable for wearing by almost all zodiac signs. Hematite and Zodiac signs: Astrologers believe that Hematite is the stone of Cancers and Scorpios. Not recommended for Gemini, Virgo and Pisces. Hematite is suitable for other signs. Fire signs can wear an iron ore gem: Leo, Sagittarius and Aries. Deeply bloody hematite with a pronounced metallic sheen is especially suitable for Aries. Cancers, as representatives of the element of Water, with which the bloodstone has complete unity and ideal combination, will feel the magical powers of talismans and amulets with a black metal gem more than other signs. Cancer women will feel a surge of sexual energy and will feel special attention from the opposite sex. Cancer men will experience true masculinity thanks to Hematite bracelets. The largest industrial deposits of hematite are located in Krivbass (Ukraine), Yakovlevsky and Mikhailovsky deposits of the Kursk Magnetic Anomaly. As a minor mineral, it is common in ores in the Urals. In the form of crystals with quartz inclusions in the Alpine veins of Austria and Switzerland, Brazil, etc. Metacrystals in chlorite schists (Kutim). Magnificent groups of crystals (up to 6-7cm) – South Africa. Jewelry with Hematite can be found here: Bracelet made from press. Malachite with Hematite: Glass and hematite bracelet: Earrings made of beads and hematite: Quartz and hematite bracelet: Violet glass and hematite bracelet: Bracelet made of turquoise Czech glass and hematite: Bracelet made of blue Czech glass, lapis lazuli and hematite: Blue glass and hematite bracelet: Hematite is a mineral, iron oxide, hematite group, dimorphic with maghemite. The mineral forms thick and thin tabular crystals, oolites, solid and earthy masses, and film dendrites. Chemical composition of hematite—content (in%): Fe—70; O – 30; impurities of aluminum, titanium (titanohematite), magnesium, etc. are noted. Hematite refers to a mineral that is obtained as a result of the oxidation of a mineral such as iron ore. For this reason, this stone can often be found in ore deposits. This mineral differs from iron ore in its beauty and can be formed in various types of rocks, taking into account the high oxidation potential of the environment. Synonyms for hematite: anhydroferrite, Alaskan diamond, iron kidney, iron rose, iron mica, iron sour cream, iron anatase, iron eye, iron red luster, mirror ore, red ore, red iron ore, red ocher iron ore, bloodstone, bloodstone, sanguine, specularite, black diamond. Hematite is also often called its varieties: specularite (iron luster), red glass head, martite – a pseudomorph of hematite after magnetite. Depending on the impurities of certain chemical elements, titanohematite, aluminohematite, and hydrohematite are distinguished.
History of the stone
According to scientists, the name of this stone was given by the ancient Greek philosopher Theophrastus six thousand years ago. If translated from Greek, haima means blood. Its second name is bloodstone. Ancient Greek warriors took this stone with them on campaigns and used hematite as a talisman. The peak of popularity occurred in the Middle Ages, and in the modern world hematite again began to be widely used as an inexpensive ornamental stone in the 70s of the twentieth century.
What does the mineral look like?
Iron oxides give this stone the color of burgundy gore. In some cases, it may have a brownish-red and almost black tint. Often on the surface of the mineral you can see a bluish “tarnish”, characteristic of soap bubbles.
Mineral deposits
Deposits of hematite can be found in rocks of North America and Kazakhstan, the Russian Federation and Italy, Brazil, Switzerland and Ukraine. Magnificent hematite crystals found: Brumado, Bahia, Brazil; Wessels, Kuruman, South Africa; Rio Marina, Elba, Italy. “Iron roses” are found in Switzerland. Tabular crystals of the mineral hematite are known in Algeria. In the Czech Republic and Great Britain – cluster-shaped hematite aggregates. Sedimentary iron ores form deposits in Ukraine, the USA, and Russia. Finds of hematite crystals are known in Siberia, Russia.
Features of processing and application
Hematite is an important source of iron. Dense hematite (bloodstone) is used to make jewelry. Bloodstone has been known as a material for making jewelry since ancient times. It was often used in the manufacture of rings, signets and rings. Today, it is used to make inserts into jewelry such as brooches, rings, earrings and beads. Processing bloodstone is difficult. High-quality polishing is obtained after quite a long and thorough grinding. The processed stone radically changes its color. After turning and polishing, it obtains a dark gray or black color, in which the high shine of the metal predominates. Hematite jewelry attracts many famous people of our time, who wear it as amazing daytime and cocktail jewelry. Today, the most famous jewelers and fashion houses can offer jewelry made from this stone. Crystal intergrowths along planes close to the position of the pinacoid – “iron roses”
Pseudomorphoses of the mineral hematite are known from the minerals magnetite and pyrite in the form of dodecahedral or octahedral crystals (martite). Sometimes the mineral exhibits an iridescent tarnish. The mineral hematite can be igneous, hydrothermal, sedimentary, metamorphic, and has various paragenesis. Red hematite represents the pigment of many slags in sedimentary rocks. Contact-metasomatic hematite occurs in skarns and in metamorphosed banded iron ores. During oxidation and weathering, it is formed in iron-containing minerals (magnetite, limonite, siderite). Hematite is easily distinguished from similar minerals (ilmenite, magnetite, goethite, etc.) by the reddish tint of the features, plate-like or scaly aggregates characteristic of this stone.
Properties of the Mineral
| Color | steel gray turning to black in crystals and massive aggregates, dull; turning into bright red in internal reflections and in dispersed masses. |
| Line color | cherry red |
| Chemical formula | Fe 2 O 3 |
| Brilliance | metal |
| Transparency | shines through |
| Cleavage | very imperfect |
| Kink | conchoidal |
| Hardness | 5 5,5 6 |
| Selection form | the appearance of the crystals is varied, tabular, isometric, rarely prismatic |
| Classes on taxonomy of the USSR | Oxides |
| Syngonia | trigonal |
| Additionally | P. tr. hematite does not melt and becomes magnetic in a reducing flame |
Minerals Catalog
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Gives a gore colored trait. Even in ancient Roman times, noble ladies wore hematite beads during childbirth to prevent excessive bleeding. It is also believed that wearing hematite beads improves visual acuity, relieves chronic eye fatigue syndrome, irritability and redness.
