H
HEMATITE
Name: comes from the word “haima”, which means “blood”; the name literally means “blood stone”.
From the Greek word haimatites, meaning "blood-like" or "blood stone." This is due to the distinct red streak (the color of its powder) it leaves when scratched against a rough surface, which resembles dried blood.
AKA: Warriors Stone (roman).
Description: shiny metallic luster and dark gray to black color. A mineral form of iron oxide.
Composition: Iron Oxide (Fe2O3)
Color: It gets its color from iron and has a color range from dark grey to black and red.
Crystalline/Polished: Metallic steel-grey to silvery-black (most common for jewelry).
Massive/Raw: Reddish-brown, red, or earthy black.
The red powder (red ochre) is its most diagnostic feature.
Treatments: N/A.
Moh’s Hardness: 5.5 to 6.5
Toughness: Fair.
Location Found: Australia; Brazil; Canada; China; England; India; Norway; Sweden; United States.
Birthstone: N/A
Wedding Anniversaries: N/A.
Zodiac Signs: Aquarius; Aries; Capricorn; Leo.
Chakra Associations: Root; Solar Plexus; Earth Star.
Historical Associations: Victory in lawsuits; favorable judgements from those in authority; Mars; War. Protection (during war); protection; grounding; vitality; ground; concentration; focus; memory; mind; self-esteem; willpower; confidence; balance body’s meridians; absorb and dissolve negative energy and electromagnetic stress; overcome compulsions; overcome addictions; Saturn.
Historically Used to Treat: bleeding; staunch wounds; blood-related ailments; anemia; inflammation; strengthen blood flow; vitality; addictions.
Care: When heated it may become magnetic. Soluble in hydrochloric acid. Ultrasonic and steam cleaners are safe. Avoid harsh chemicals; Avoid prolonged exposure to heat. Warm, soapy water with a soft brush is safe as long as you dry it thoroughly or it will rust. Clean with a soft, dry cloth is safe. Store separately from harder stones to prevent scratching.
Imitations: Usually made mostly of compressed iron and was marketed as “hemetine”, but that trade name was ruled misleading by the FTC.
Most pieces sold today as "Hematite" beads or carvings, especially those that are highly magnetic, are actually a man-made, ceramic-ferrite material called "Hematine" or "Magnetic Hematite" (often a mixture of iron oxide and strontium ferrite). Natural Hematite is only weakly magnetic or not magnetic at all.
Synthetics: Natural Hematite is not synthesized for the jewelry market. "Rainbow Hematite" is often a natural Hematite coated with a thin film of an iridescent material, or it may be a heat-treated synthetic Hematinite.