Hematite is metallic in appearance but can occur in other compositions. The name refers to blood in ancient Greece, as the stone creates red dust when cut and polished. Hematite is the pigment of ocher and a shining gemstone. It also has spiritual and cultural meaning.
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There are many varieties of hematite. They all leave a red streak, a good identifier. Hematite is believed to enhance personal magnetism, optimism, courage, block negative energy and bring calm. It connects to grounding and the Root Chakra.
Hematite turns negatives into positives. It forms nodes or nuggets. When polished the stone casts a warm metallic grow. An iron oxide, hematite is over 70% iron and may attract magnetic objects. When ground it produces a rich red color beloved by artists.
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On the Mohs hardness scale hematite comes in at 5.5 - 6.5, the same hardness as glass. It can be carved and is popular in ancient cylinder seals.
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The color of hematite is used as a pigment. Hematite means blood-red stone, from the ancient Greeks. Its color comes from iron. Hematite colors clay. Red ocher or ochre gets its deep vibrant earth red hues from hematite.
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Red ochre clay is colored by hematite iron oxide, varying between 20% and 70%. Red ochre contains unhydrated hematite. Yellow ochre contains also uses hematite, but hydrated. The principal use of ochre is for tinting with a permanent color.
The red chalk drawings of hematite are among the earliest in human history. Powdered hematite is first used up to 164,000 years ago. Residue of hematite residues are found in graves up to 80,000 years old.
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Hematite naturally occurs in black to steel or silver-gray, brown to reddish-brown, or red colors. As an important ore mineral of iron it's mined throughout history. It has good electric conductivity.
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Hematite is prized for pigments since the time of early humans. It's been consistently used throughout time. It's the basis for red, purple and brown iron-oxide pigments and a significant component of ochre, sienna and umber pigments.
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In Poland and Hungary red chalk mines from 5000 BCE are found, attributed to the Linear Pottery culture at the Upper Rhine c. 5500 - 4500 BCE. Specular hematite (above) is a rarer form. Unique rocks appear near the world's oldest coal mine, c. 43,000 BCE in Africa.
Hematite is harder than pure iron, but also more brittle. Large hematite deposits are often in in banded iron formations. Gray hematite occurs in places of still, standing water or mineral hot springs, such as those in Yellowstone National Park in North America.
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The mineral can precipitate in the water and collect in layers at the bottom of the lake, spring, or other standing water. Hematite can also occur in the absence of water, usually as the result of volcanic activity.
Hematite occurs in tailings (waste material) of iron mines. A recent process, magnetation, uses magnets to extract waste hematite from old mine tailings in Minnesota's vast Mesabi Range iron district.
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Falu(n) red as pigment is a local development from old mining operations in the area of Falun, Sweden. When tailings or waste are heated or otherwise processed they create a deep rich red used in Swedish house paint.
Certain types of hematite- or iron-oxide-rich clay, especially Armenian bole, have been used in gilding. It also has wellness properties and is considered one of the medicinal clays along with Levantine bole.
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Historically, the term bolu or bolus is applied to medicinal earths. Armenian bole is used as an astringent, as it absorbs skin oils. It's also considered effective in treatment of diarrhea, dysentery, and wound bleeding.
Externally, bolu is used in strengthening plasters applied to the joints. Physicians also call it Rubrica Synopica, from the city of Synope (Sinope, Sinop), where it is supposedly found. Sinope is the northernmost point of the southern Black Sea coast.
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Use for internal medicine is not recommended due to side effects. The minerals often include heavy metals such as arsenic, cadmium, lead and zinc. In books and decor bole is also used as a base for gold leaf.
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