What it is confused with
Strongly magnetic "hematine" beads are a manufactured imitation; natural hematite is only weakly magnetic. Rubbed on unglazed porcelain, real hematite leaves a red-brown streak.
Metallic silver-gray to black
Hematite crystals
Hematite is iron oxide (Fe₂O₃), metallic silver-gray to black, rated 5–6 on the Mohs scale. Traditionally, it is linked to grounding, focus and physical steadiness — attributed, not demonstrated.
- Mohs hardness
- 5–6 about as hard as window glass
- Crystal system
- Trigonal Fe₂O₃
- Main sources today
- Brazil also UK, Canada
Properties
Composition
Iron oxide (Fe₂O₃)
Hardness (Mohs)
5–6
Crystal system
Trigonal
Color
Metallic silver-gray to black
Mined in
Brazil, UK, Canada, USA, Australia
Worth knowing
Metallic gray on the outside, blood-red as powder — hence the Greek haima, "blood". NASA sent the Opportunity rover to Meridiani Planum on Mars because orbiters had found hematite there — evidence of past water.
History
Ground into red ochre and used in cave painting at least 40,000 years ago.
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Buying
Buying Hematite: fakes, value and treatments
What decides the price
Inexpensive; a mirror-like metallic polish is what buyers look for.
Where it is used
Hematite is the most important ore of iron.
A less familiar fact
Hematite has been found on Mars, and its name comes from the Greek for blood, after its red powder.
Practical
Caring for Hematite
How to clean it
Dry or barely damp cloth, and do not leave it wet.
How to tell it is real
Magnetic hematite sold in shops is usually synthetic; natural hematite is only weakly magnetic. The reliable test is the streak: rub it on unglazed ceramic and it leaves a red-brown line.
How hard is Hematite?
Hematite is iron oxide and brittle rather than tough, so a bead dropped on a tiled floor can crack or chip, and household dust, which is harder, slowly dulls its mirror polish. Lapis Lazuli and Turquoise share its place on our scale. Among the stones in this reference, the next softer is Obsidian (5–5.5) and the next harder Sodalite (5.5–6).
Hematite, at 5–6, is harder than 7 of the other 42 stones here and softer than 33.
Traditional associations
Hematite is traditionally linked to grounding, focus and physical steadiness. Chakra in crystal practice: Root. Element: Earth.
Questions about Hematite
What is Hematite made of?
Iron oxide (Fe₂O₃), crystallizing in the trigonal system.
Where does Hematite come from?
Brazil, UK, Canada, USA, Australia.
Can Hematite be worn every day?
With care. At 5–6 on the Mohs scale it can be worn often, but watch out for drops onto hard floors, because it is brittle.
Cite this page
AstroHot. “Hematite Crystals: Meaning, Hardness and Origins.” Accessed October 28, 2026. https://astrohot.com/crystals/gemstones/hematite/
For Wikipedia
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